Past Expectations
by Carrie Anne 24
Summary: Into a world of uncertainty and questions, Salazar Slytherin is reborn. Salazar strives to defeat his evil heir all the while working to discover the many secrets hidden from him, but he did not expect to fall in love. SalazarGinny
1. A Desperate Plot

Past Expectations

_Summary: _The war against Voldermort is intensifying, and a desperate order performs an ancient spell to retrieve a man who can help: Salazar Slytherin. Of course, Salazar has his own plans concerning his future and an intriguing young woman.

_Disclaimer: _Harry Potter is the property of J. K. Rowling. All song lyrics belong to John Cameron Mitchell and the investors of _Hedwig and the Angry Inch_.

Chapter One: A Desperate Plot

_And there's no mystical design_

_No cosmic lover pre-assigned_

_There's nothing you can find_

_that cannot be found_

Hogwarts

"It's a bad idea Albus," Remus Lupin pounded his fist onto the wooden table the Order of the Phoenix had gathered around and looked at the others in the room for more support. "What possible benefits could there be to resurrecting the very man whose prejudices and ideals are the very fuel feeding the other side? Salazar Slytherin is the one responsible for inequality of the present!"

Albus Dumbledore observed the livid werewolf from behind his characteristic half-moon glasses. "I do understand your concerns Remus, but I have thoroughly thought about the consequences of the spell. I truly believe that if we are to win this war, we must understand the enemy. We do not know many details of Salazar's life, but according to the spell, Salazar is needed to defeat Tom and his Death Eaters. In addition, I encourage you to look beyond the rumors surrounding Salazar. He was a very powerful wizard and could greatly help our cause. Also, keep in mind, the past can be held responsible for the present, but it is the hearts and minds of those in the present that shape the future."

"Kindly explain how this will help our cause Albus. Because right now, I can't see any positive outcomes." Remus returned to his seat as the rest of the order leaned forward to hear the Headmaster's reasoning for wanting to revive one of the most hated men of the time.

"As you know, for the past week I have been scouring many of the old books retrieved from Malfoy manor retrieved after Lucius Malfoy's arrest." The Order nodded their heads in understanding. After the incident at the Department of Mysteries two months ago, the elder Malfoy had been placed in Azkaban and his properties seized by the Ministry. Of course, the remaining members of the Malfoy family had protested, but the government had confiscated many dark objects and old, rare spell books. "While reading one book in particular, I found an ancient spell appropriately named _Auxiliar_ or translated from the original Spanish 'to help'."

"Spanish?" interjected Mr. Weasley, "Where exactly is this book from?"

"The text is written entirely in Spanish and is most likely from Central America. Looking at the dates, we can determine that the book is at least five hundred years old and was most likely written shortly after Spain invaded the New World. The Spanish invaders purged the magical people in the area and destroyed most of the native magical knowledge. I believe this book was written and hidden to preserve the most powerful and ancient spells of a persecuted culture. Somehow, Mr. Malfoy gained procession of the book and keep it in his personal library."

"That is all very fascinating Albus," Remus ran a hand through his graying hair, "But, how does that relate to the resurrection of Salazar Slytherin?"

"Patience Mr. Lupin. The spell actually reveals who can be of the most help in a situation. The caster must write his situation on a sheet of parchment and recite the incitation while burning the paper. The scorch marks will reveal the name of the one who can resolve the issue. Intrigued, I tried the spell, and here are my results." Dumbledore pulled a piece of parchment from his inner robes. There, in plain sight, was the burned name of Salazar Slytherin.

Dumbledore passed the parchment around the room. Many began to look hopeful at this newfound hope. The past two months had been marked with an uprising of raids on both the magical and muggle worlds. Voldermort was back and busier than ever; however, many in the room still had their doubts. Mad-eye Moody voiced his concerns, "How do you know this book wasn't planted in Malfoy's library to goad us into bringing back a mad man? This entire plan could be a setup. I don't trust anything I would find in a death eater's home." Several others nodded in agreement.

"I understand your concern Moody, but I have extensively researched this spell. It is by very design tamper proof. I assure you that the spell is correct, and I preformed it several times to avoid a fluke answer. Even when I phrased the problem in different ways, the same name came up every time. It is undoubtedly true that Salazar Slytherin would help us immensely in the upcoming war."

"What about Harry?" asked Lupin.

"Harry is still the central figure in the destruction of Voldermort. Only he can actually defeat Tom, but Harry is still only a young man. Perhaps Salazar is meant to inspire Harry or help with the planning of Tom's death. Regardless of his role, I am convinced Salazar is a necessity."

Remus interjected with an objection again, "If we needed him, why didn't the prophesy mention him? Harry could still defeat Tom without him."

"Yes, Harry could defeat Tom without any help, but I believe the task could be made easier with all the help we can get. The sooner we rid of the world of Tom Riddle, the more innocent lives we can save, and the more time Harry has to live his own life free from this responsibility." Albus knew he had hit a cord with that last statement as Lupin leaned back in his chair- a look of acceptance on his face.

"I am still apprehensive Albus, but I trust your judgment. I will, however, keep my eyes on Salazar once he arrives." The rest of the Order nodded their heads in agreement with Remus.

"I don't mean to get technical here," announced Tonks, "but how exactly are we supposed to resurrect a man who has been dead for over a thousand years?"

"Ever the logical one Miss Tonks." Albus smiled at his former student as his characteristic twinkle appeared in his blue eyes. "In this same book, I found a spell used for the resurrection of a lost loved one. The book warns that the spell is extremely difficult and power draining, but I believe it sill suits our purposes: _Desempolvar los muertos: Salazar Slytherin_. The spell involves a ring of people reciting the spell; the one being brought back will appear within the circle if done correctly."

"What about the possible disturbances to the original timeline?" Every head turned to watch Snape as he continued. "If Salazar knows too much, he might not even be a part of Hogwarts at all. We could be seriously jeopardizing the present."

"A valid concern Severus. We will not actually be bringing Salazar from the past. All of his memories, experiences, and personal attributes will be placed into a being we will actually create. That is why the spell is so difficult; we will actually be creating a new being. Anything this Salazar does will not affect the timeline. This being will be for all practical purposes Salazar Slytherin, but we are not endangering our existence."

Snape snorted, "Isn't that a lot like playing God Albus? Not to mention the kind of ramifications this would have on whatever we actually bring back. What if Salazar does not want to help us? What if he resents us for what we have done?"

"That is something we will have to deal with when we actually perform the spell. As for playing God, sometimes, drastic measures are required for the good of the masses."

"When are do you propose we bring him back?" Kingsley looked at the headmaster as the aging man stood.

"I propose we do this right now."

At No. 4 Privet Dr.

Harry James Potter was bored. Really, he was beyond bored. It was well past midnight, and he was still wide-awake. His emerald eyes scanned the dark walls of Dudley's second bedroom. He wanted to go to sleep, but he knew as soon as he closed his eyes, the nightmares would return. He would choose utter boredom over emotionally scarring nightmares any night of the week. Harry hadn't gotten much sleep the past two months; ever since Sirius died, Harry had been obsessed with keeping busy. He had already finished his summer homework assignments; in fact, he had even completed Professor Snape's essay on the properties of florears in medicinal potions.

Now, he was sitting on his bed trying to keep his mind of his Godfather's death. He knew Sirius would not want him to blame himself for what happened that night, and for that one reason, Harry tired not to let the guilt consume him. Was it his fault Sirius died? No, and he knew who's fault it was: Voldermort. Instead of allowing himself to fall into a deep depression, he channeled his grief into one of his most productive summers ever. He had finished his assignments, and he had successfully worked though his grief. The nightmares, however, still came every night. The acceptance of the death of a loved one never makes the pain go away.

The issue that really motivated him was what to do about the prophesy. He had always suspected that there was something Dumbledore wasn't telling him about the night his parents died, but he had been too young to figure out the secret. Now that he knew his destiny, he was determined to defeat the monster that ruined his life. The only problem was that he had no idea how to do it.

At the Burrow

Molly Weasley was rushing around her home trying to keep her mind off where her husband was. She herself would have gone to the meeting, but she did not want to leave Ron and Ginny alone in the house. With all of Voldermort's recent raids on light-sided families, she did not want to leave two under-aged children alone in the country. She sighed as she sat at the wooden table in her dining room. Albus had flooed earlier in the day and announced he had discovered a new weapon to use in the war. He had been evasive when questioned and had only responded with an elusive, "We will discuss the issue later."

Molly glanced at the stairs leading to her only daughter's room. She was worried about Ginny. She had been withdrawn and aloof lately, and acted nothing like the carefree girl she had been as a child. The incident in her first year concerning the Chamber of Secrets had deeply affected her. Before this summer, she had tried to cover up her feelings with a cheerful smile, but now, everyone could notice the changes. She kept to herself, and her grades were slowly dropping. She didn't have any friends; sure, she did spend time with Harry and Hermione, but those were Ron's best friends. Ginny's juvenile crush on Harry had finally disappeared after Harry's fifth year. Molly supposed Harry's ill-fated relationship with Cho Chang made her daughter realize a relationship with Harry was unrealistic. Ginny really needed someone that was just hers. Molly's only worry was whom that someone would turn out to be.

Molly tapped her cold tea with her wand while uttering a simple warning spell. She worried about Harry too. He was like another son to her, and she only wanted what was best for him. She sincerely hoped that whatever Albus had planned would help Harry as well as the rest of them.

Back at Order Head Quarters

The members of the Order of the Phoenix nervously watched the dark figure in the middle of the room. He was not moving, but none dared to make an effort to rouse him. Finally, Dumbledore stepped forward, but before he could get close, a deep, dangerous voice called out, "Do not come near me if you wish to remain unharmed." Eyes of a deep, forest green turned to face the headmaster, "Who are you, and why am I here?

Salazar Slytherin looked nothing as everyone expected. First, he was young, very young. The spell never really indicated how old this person would be the Order was retrieving, but everyone had expected a middle-aged Salazar. Salazar looked to be about eighteen years old; he had dark, black hair that framed his face perfectly. He was of average build and height, but his eyes were extraordinary. Eyes that were so green they were almost black stared out of an aristocratic face with a defined jaw line. Most noticeably, his eyes revealed the traces of fear any eighteen-year-old would feel when facing a room of older wizards.

"He's just a kid Albus! How is he supposed to help us?" Arthur Weasley looked to the ageing headmaster with disbelief in his eyes. "Maybe the spell didn't work."

"Arthur, the spell most definitely worked; however, I too did not expect such a young man."

Salazar stood and brushed off his dark robes. He surveyed the room as his confidence returned; these people knew about as much as he did. He did not, however, release his hold on his midnight black wand. "If you wouldn't mind, please stop talking about me as if I were not here. You never did answer my questions: who are you and why am I here?" Salazar looked around the room and took in the people surrounding him. Never in his life had he ever seen such strange people; even the room he was in surprised him. He was quite familiar with quills, parchment, and even the sturdy, oak table in the middle of the room, but the massive amount of books lining the walls astounded him. Books were expensive, and the monks copying the transcripts could only work so fast. How these people could afford so many books was a mystery to him.

Albus intervened to answer the young man's questions, "I am Albus Dumbledore and this is the Order of the Phoenix. We have brought you here to ask for your help."

"Why would you need my help?"

Albus quickly explained the two spells and how they worked. Salazar was speechless for the first time in his life. He was dead? These people resurrected him so he could help defeat one of the most feared dark lords of the new age? What about his family and friends? He shook his head as he became aware of the many pairs of eyes watching him for his reaction. "You must be playing some kind of trick on me. Did Godric put you up to this? He always was such an immature person. Who are you people really?

Salazar did notice the look of shock that went around the room when he mentioned his best friend. That alone convinced him that Godric Gryffindor did not plan this. "You are not kidding." He swept across the room rubbing his head, "What were you people thinking? You cannot just bring back a person from the past; did you even think of the effects this could have on the timeline?"

"Actually…" began Remus, but Dumbledore interrupted him before he could finish.

"We did, but we determined that the need outweighed the consequences." Remus looked at the headmaster with confusion, and Albus gave him a look that clearly said they would discuss the issue later.

"The spell indicated that you would be of help to us. The only question we have for you is will you help us or not."

Salazar turned to face the crowd, "I don't know; I have a feeling that there is something that you are not telling me. What are you keeping from me? I'll not give an answer until you tell me what you know."

Albus sighed before answering, "You turn out to be quite an important figure in our time; we do not want to tell you too much too soon. I believe that it is best if you find out certain facts about your life for yourself."

Salazar considered his options. He was curious, and he was determined to find out what these people were keeping from him. In addition, he was Salazar Slytherin; he would find some way to turn this crusade against evil into a way to help himself. He was also intrigued by everyone's reaction when he mentioned Godric. He wondered if he would receive similar reactions if he mentioned Rowena and Helga as the four of them had been inseparable since they were about ten years old. "Fine, what can I do?"

"Wonderful, I do believe we have a great deal to discuss." Albus lead Salazar out of the room and though Hogwart's halls to his office.

Once Albus and Salazar had left the room, Snape looked around and sarcastically remarked, "Well, I believe that went as well as can be expected." The remaining Order members could not do anything but agree with him.

Dumbledore's Office

For the second time in his life, Salazar could not think of anything to say. Evidently, he and his best friends had started a school for magic. Rowena was always talking about how wonderful it would be if all magical children could come together to learn; she always was the one who wanted to know everything. She must have convinced the three of them to help her. Salazar frowned as his thoughts turned to his eventual heir. Once he got over the initial realization that he would in fact procreate, he could not believe what kind of person Tom Riddle would become. Raids, random murders, and unjustified actions were not acceptable behavior for an heir of Slytherin. Not that Salazar felt any love for non-magical people and witches and wizards with non-magical parents; personally, he did not give them any thought at all. If such people bothered you, it was best to ignore their existence-as they ignored the existence of magic. Such an obvious stain on his family name could not be allowed to live.

"Do you have any questions you wish me to answer?"

Salazar looked up from his musings to answer Albus, "Not really, I suppose I will discover the details of my life and this time over time. Rest assured I will help you defeat this Tom Riddle character as I cannot have such a man claim to be my heir."

"Excellent, you will of course be staying here at Hogwarts. The fall term begins in two weeks, and we must find an appropriate cover for your presence. According to history, you were quite good at potions. Is this correct?"

"Yes, potions have always been my passion."

"Our potions master is missing more and more class time due to his spying duties concerning Voldermort."

"The black-haired man correct?"

"Yes, Severus Snape is our resident potions professor as well as a spy for the Order. I believe it would be best if you were to act as his assistant professor. You could cover some of his classes as well as complete any research you yourself would be interested in. You would also be close to other members of the Order if you should need anything. I also believe a change in name will be necessary. "

"What did you have in mind?"

"I considered using the name Sal Slade. The first name is close enough to your real name as to avoid confusion, and Slade is a very old wizarding name."

Salazar eyed the Headmaster before nodding his head in agreement, "You have got yourself a deal Dumbledore. I look forward to completing this task and returning to my own time."

"Very well, let me show you to your rooms."

Teachers Lounge at Hogwarts

"Why do you suppose Albus did not tell Salazar he was not really Salazar?" asked Tonks to no one in particular.

"I suppose he was worried about the boy's reaction. How would you react if you were told that you were not who you thought you were. Hell, what if someone told you that you weren't even a person, just a creature created to imitate another?" Lupin relaxed in a red chair in front of the fire. "If I were a philosophical man, this would create many moral problems for me to consider."

"But you are a philosophical man Remus. What do you think he will do when he finds out?" Tonks crossed the room to sit next to him. She reached for his hand before asking, "Do you think he'll be angry?"

Lupin looked at their interlocked fingers before answering, "I do, but I worry about Harry's reaction. He just lost Sirius, and I worry how he has handled it."

"You worry about Harry alot don't you Remus? During the meeting, you seemed most concerned about Harry's welfare."

"I made a promise to Sirius to look after Harry. Sirius couldn't be there for Harry like he wanted to, so he asked me to look out for him. I feel responsible for him. I only want what's best for him; I fell like I owe that much to James, Lily, and Sirius."

"Harry too?" asked Tonks before leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Harry too." answered Remus as the two stared at the blazing fire, wondering what the night's actions would mean for the wizarding world.

The Burrow

Arthur shook off his robes as he stepped out of the fireplace in his living room. He stopped to check the clock before heading to the kitchen to answer his wife's inevitable questions. Everyone's hand was where it was supposed to be; as long as no hand ever pointed to 'mortal danger' Arthur was happy.

"What happened?" asked Molly as soon as she saw her husband.

"Much." answered Arthur as he sat to explain the night to Molly.

Ron Weasley and his sister, Ginny Weasley, crept down the stairs to listen in on their parent's conversation. Ron still had a couple of his brother's extendable ears, and he planned to find out exactly what had his parents so upset. Ginny, of course, had followed him.

"Will you be quiet? I'm trying to hear what's going on!"

"Well," answered the red-haired female, "If you would get off my foot, I could be quiet Ronald!"

"Sorry."

"Salazar Slytherin! You brought back Salazar Slytherin. Are you out of your mind?" Molly's frantic whispers carried easily up the stairs.

"Albus believes he will help our cause."

"Sounds like Dumbledore has gone completely mental!" whispered Ron.

"Shh, Dad's still talking."

"Salazar looks nothing like I expected. He is a young man, and he will be posing as the potions assistant at Hogwarts this year. I know it sounds crazy Molly, but I think Dumbledore knows what he is doing. "

"It's late Arthur; we'll talk more about this tomorrow."

Ron and Ginny crept back up to Ron's room to discuss what they just overheard. Ron sat on his bed and leaned against the wall. Salazar Slytherin, the father of all Slytherins, would be at Hogwarts this fall. How would this affect the war, his family, and his best mate? He jerked up and said, "Harry."

"What about him?" asked Ginny. Ginny had taken residence on the windowpane; she too did not know what to expect this fall. She had been affected too much by this war, and she was not ready for this. "Well, what about Harry?"

"Should we tell him about this?"

"Probably, you know how upset he gets when he thinks someone is hiding things from him. Although, I don't know how he will react. Actually, I can't figure out exactly how I feel right now."

"What do you mean? The Order has just revived one of the most evil men of all time. Gin, Salazar is the reason the world is the way it is. It's all his fault."

"I'm confused because I'm worried and hopeful. It sounds like they brought back a young Salazar. Maybe we can convince him to change his ways, and when he goes back, he can choose a different path. Maybe that's the master plan."

"You can't change stripes into dots Gin. Salazar is as evil as they come. I don't know what the order was thinking."

"We should trust Dumbledore Ron; he's the best we've got right now. He has plan. We might not understand it, but I believe he has a good reason. As for me, I'll do everything I can to bring down You-Know-Who. Even if it means trying to convert a hopeless man to our side."

"You really feel strongly about his don't you? Do you really think we could do any good?"

"Of course we can Ron; everyone matters in this war because we are fighting a war of ideals. To change the world we must change hearts and minds. Even if we kill You-Know-Who, his followers will still be around. Someone else with the same morals will rise to become the next dark lord. Maybe if we can change Salazar's mind, we can change the past and the present."

"When did you get so smart Gin?"

"When I saw what hate could do."

An awkward silence filled the room and Ron tried to come up with something to say. The Weasley family had never really talked about what had happened to Ginny her first year. Of course, they were all very happy she was safe, but the topic had become taboo. No one discussed it. Ron changed the topic. "Is it such a good idea to mess around with the time line? You know what they say about wizards and witches who play with time."

"That's why we need a plan. You should owl Harry and see what he says."

"No need, he's coming here for a few days, and then we're all going to Order Headquarters until we leave for the train."

"We'll tell him then- Hermione too. Do you think Salazar will be there?"

"I have no idea, but we'll find out soon enough."

The Next Morning at the Burrow

Harry stumbled out of the fireplace and into one of his favorite places on earth. He always felt so safe at the Burrow, and he considered the Weasley house his true home. Of course, after a stressful morning convincing the Dursley's the fireplace would return to normal after he left, he really needed to see some friendly faces. "Where is everybody?" said Harry. Usually when he arrived, Molly greeted him at the door taking his luggage and dragging him to the kitchen commenting on how thin he was. Today, he had walked into an empty room. Harry had just begun to worry that something had happened to the family when Ron stuck his head around the corner.

"Harry, come here. We'll take your stuff up to my room."

"What's going on Ron? Where is everybody?"

"Mom and Dad are still asleep. There was an Order meeting last night, and both were up pretty late. I don't think they can handle staying up till' two in the morning like we can."

Harry smiled as he remembered his and Ron's last night at Hogwarts. Ron had been looking for any way to take Harry's mind off Sirius' death, and he figured a night away from Hermione's mothering questions and the stares of the others would be the best way. The two had gone off to the kitchen for some food and had drunk too many butter beers and a couple of shots of fire-whiskey; the house elves were surprisingly accommodating. They had stumbled into the Gryffindor common room at about two A.M., but they had still managed to get to the train on time. Harry's mind snapped back to the present when he realized what Ron had said. "An Order meeting? Was it important?"

"Definitely, I've got lots I need to tell you." Ron grabbed Harry's trunk, and the two of them made their way up to Ron's bright orange room at the top of the stairs.

"Did something big happen?"

"Yep, Ginny and I listened in on a conversation last night, so no one knows that we have any clue."

"They're keeping things from me again." Harry sighed as he pushed his trunk under the spare bed in Ron's room. "I think they believe I'm just a child that cannot be trusted with anything. I'm sixteen for Merlin's sake; you'd think they would trust me by now."

"They could be waiting to tell you at the right moment Harry. It is pretty drastic."

'Well..?"

"Well what?"

"Are you going to tell me this big, drastic news that the Order thinks will possibly scar me for the rest of my natural life, or are you going to keep tip-toeing around it?"

"Oh, brace yourself Harry; the order revived Salazar Slytherin last night." Ron cringed and looked at the floor as he waited for Harry's reaction.

"What?" Harry sank onto the bed with a look of complete disbelieve on his face. "They resurrected the ultimate snake? What were they thinking?"

"Ginny thinks the Order wants to change his mind, turn him to the light side, and save the present by saving the past."

"Wouldn't that completely change the time line?"

"That's what I thought, but evidently the Order thought that wouldn't be a problem. Ginny says we should trust Dumbledore."

If there was one thing Harry would have problems with this year, it would be to put all his trust in the old Headmaster. Harry understood why Dumbledore had never told him of the prophesy before that night, but he could never be sure of what the old man was keeping from him. What he never intended to tell him about Salazar? "I don't know if I can do that anymore Ron."

"What are you talking about Harry?"

"Nothing." Harry was not ready to tell his friends about the prophesy yet. He wanted a few more months of relative normalcy before everyone knew the fate of the wizarding world was in his hands again. "We probably need a plan."

"That's what we thought." Ron and Harry spent the next hour in Ron's room plotting out exactly how they would deal with Salazar this fall. By the time they headed downstairs for a late breakfast, both felt confident that Ginny and Hermione would approve when they told them later.


	2. The Most Honorable House of Black

-Chapter Two: The Most Honorable House of Black-

_A/N: _I hope everyone likes this chapter, and I hope people start leaving reviews. I'll try to continue updating at least twice a month, but I can't promise anything as I started school recently. If you review, I'll feel more motivated to update faster! Thanks.

Sal had decided that the Hogwarts Library was a great place. He had been in this time for three days, and he had already decided that he needed a similar library back at home. 'Whenever I do get home.' he thought as he pulled another book from his massive pile next to the bed. He had went through every book he could find in the history section; he had surprisingly, found very little about his and his best friends' lives. The books had mentioned the four had started the school, and at some point, he had left. Why in the world would he leave a school he helped found with his best friends? There had been a minor reference to a disagreement, but he couldn't imagine what kind of argument could lead to that kind of fight. Sal's eyes wondered around the room until they rested on the small pile of _Witch Weekly_ magazines in the corner. He had had no idea what the glossy pages contained when he picked up the pile, and he decided he really wished he had left them where he found them. Evidently, the witches of this time were obsessed with clothing, something called make-up, and some bloke named Harry Potter.

"No one will tell me anything!" Sal lay back onto his black sheets as he closed his eyes. He would never admit it to anyone, but he truly was very anxious. But who wouldn't be? He had just traveled though time to defeat his evil heir and save the future from a terrifying and grim fate. He had had a weird couple of days. He understood that he could not know too much about his life, but a little knowledge would be appreciated. He had quickly sprung into his role as a cool, calm, aristocrat when confronted by the Order, but the constant strategizing left him exhausted. To make things even more difficult, Dumbledore had decided he needed to attend an Order meeting and establish his position in the war. "And who knows who will be there tonight." he muttered.

-Head Quarters-

"I've never seen your mother as worked up as she is tonight Ron, and that's saying alot considering what you and Harry get into." Hermione was perched on top of Harry's trunk as the trio plus Ginny tried to kill time before the meeting they were not invited to.

"Well," thought Ron aloud, "It's not every day you host a meeting Salazar Slytherin will be attending. She's cleaned everything at least three times. The way she's been running around she must think the snake will change is mind because clean people don't deserve to die."

"What are we going to do about that tonight?" mused Ginny. "Are we going down there?"

Hermione readjusted herself on the trunk. "Yeah, but I don't think it would be a good idea to let them know everything we know too soon. Who knows? Maybe Dumbledore will pull a rabbit out of his hat and tell us what's going on."

Harry snorted with laughter having understood the reference to muggle magic, but Ron and Ginny looked a little lost. "I think the three of us should just go eavesdrop."

"The three of us?" asked Ginny, a frown already appearing on her face.

"Well, there's less of a chance of the three of us getting caught, and I think we can still fit under my invisibility clock."

"Fine." said Ginny as she got up and walked out of the room, leaving the oblivious trio to their plotting. She found herself wondering around the old halls of Sirius Black's old home. She had been here many times over the past year, but the house was not the some without Sirius' presence. Not many people knew, but she had admired Sirius greatly. He had risen above his past, and his courage gave her strength. If he could overcome such odds to become such a good person, maybe she could overcome the feelings of helplessness that sometimes overwhelmed her. In a way, she had lost someone just as valuable as a godfather, her hero.

To make matters even worse, she had never gathered the courage to tell Sirius how she felt; now, he would never know how he had encouraged her. Ron and his friends would never understand what had happened to her when she was only eleven. Her family would not even talk about it. She only wished that she could talk to someone about what happened. She still had nightmares; every now and again, she would wake-up still hearing Tom Riddle's haunting laugh in her ears. He had taken a part of her, and she worried that no one would be able to deal with that. Well, Harry might, but he had his own problems. Her childhood had been ripped from her at a very young age, and sometimes she didn't think she could handle her own feelings. Often she would feel dirty or infected. The Dark Lord himself had been in her mind; what if part of him was still there? She had just turned the corner to head up to the third floor when she found herself staring at a very handsome young man with green eyes.

-Earlier at Head Quarters-

"Mr. Slade," began Dumbledore, "I think a meeting between you and the other Order members would be pertinent. Many could not attend the meeting in which you were revived, and an appearance would be most convincing in your trustworthiness.

"Fine, I will make an appearance, but must you call me that in private? My name is not Sal Slade, but Salazar Slytherin." Sal was not about to tell the nosey man that his childhood nickname had been Sal; that would diminish his point.

"Practice makes perfect Mr. Slade; although, tonight you will be introduced as Salazar Slytherin."

"Shall we go then?"

"Certainly." The Headmaster held out a piece of parchment to Sal before activating the port key. In an instant, the two were in the Black's parlor room. Sal took a moment to observe the disturbing décor. There were definitely too many decapitated creatures in the room for him, and he was from the middle ages. "The meeting will begin in an about half an hour. Until then, I highly recommend that you do not leave unless you want an uninformed member hexing you." With one last, evaluating look, Albus left the room.

'As if I'm going to do anything he says now.' thought Sal as he opened the door to the hall. He needed a few minutes to think about what he was going to say to these people; his mind was racing. He must say exactly the right thing to keep up his persona while getting his point across. He did want to take advantage of this situation, but to do that, he needed to help get rid of Voldermort. He was still confused as to how he would not disrupt the timeline, but maybe that was what they wanted. He had just closed the door behind him when he came face to face with a beautiful young woman.

-A Tiny Hall-

Ginny could not stop staring at the man in front of her. The logical part of her mind told her that this had to be Salazar Slytherin, but the other part of her mind told her that such perfection could not be evil.

"And who might you be?" His silky baritone filled her ears as she tried to come up with an answer.

"I'm Ginny, Ginny Weasley. My parents are members of the Order." Even though she had a pretty good idea who he was, she asked anyway, "Who are you?"

"That depends on where I am. This fall at Hogwarts I'll be known as Sal Slade, but now and here, I am Lord Salazar Slytherin. I imagine you've been expecting my arrival."

"Actually, I'm not supposed to know you are back. In fact, I don't believe I'm ever supposed to know you are who you are."

Sal was surprised. He knew his true identity was to be kept from the general public, but he thought the Order members and their families would know of his true identity. He carefully looked this girl over; she was beautiful. Her rich, red hair fell in tiny ringlets down her back, and her piercing blue eyes seemed to look right through him. Honestly, Sal had never seen such a beautiful woman in his life. "Well, Miss Weasley, I suppose we should keep this little interaction between our selves. I imagine that Dumbledore and the other Order members would not be happy to know I was wondering the halls, and I'm sure you would be better off if others remained ignorant of your discovery." Sal didn't know why he wanted to keep his discovery of such a vision to himself, but he was not ready to let others know how affected he was by this girl.

"Yes, I suppose that would be best, but surely we'll meet again at Hogwarts. The term starts in two days, and I guess you'll be there." Ginny didn't add that she really hoped she found herself alone in an enclosed space with Salazar again.

"Well, until we meet again Miss Weasley." Sal turned to walk back into the parlor, but turned on his heel to address her again. "Oh, and call me Sal."

"Only if you call me Ginny."

"Of course…..Ginny." With a final look, Sal made his way back into the parlor and sat in a chair near a fireplace. 'What did I just do?' he thought. He had never been so friendly in his life. Usually, he would have given the girl an intimidating stare and stalked back without speaking, but he found himself drawn to the girl. 'That is ridiculous.' he thought. 'I just meet her'; yet, he sensed a sadness about her that drew him. For an instant, all he had wanted to do was make her forget her pain. He shook his head. He would be returning to his own time soon, and he had other worries to consider. Besides, she couldn't possibly be interested. He didn't belong here, and he was sure she had someone else. Sal stood and adjusted his clock. Nothing would come of this. He would move on, and he would forget the beautiful girl he met in the hall.

Ginny quickly made her way upstairs to the room she was sharing with Hermione. Her breath was rushed as she pushed the door shut and collapsed on the bed. Salazar, no Sal, was one of the best-looking men she had ever seen; she had felt an instant attraction to him. A frown marred her features as she sat up. She couldn't think like this. He was Salazar Slytherin. He would only be here for a short while before going back to his own time. Ginny closed her eyes; he probably had a girlfriend or even a wife back in his time. Tom was his heir, so he had to have had someone. He family and friends would be outraged if they knew she was harboring feelings for the modern personification of evil and prejudice. Her parents and brothers would be furious if they knew she had even been alone with Sal for a few moments. Nothing would come of this. She would continue with the plan to change his views on muggles, and she would forget the way her heart leaped into her throat when she saw him.

-The Black Dining Room-

The entire Order of the Phoenix was gathered around an elegant, black table. Everyone was there including the entire Weasley clan minus Ron and Percy. The trio had not been included. The quiet murmuring stopped as Dumbledore stood. "Welcome, thank you for coming. As you might have heard, an exciting new opportunity has arisen to help us in this war. We have brought someone back, someone from the past who can help us defeat Tom: Salazar Slytherin."

A rush of voices came at the head master all at once. Cries of "What were you thinking?" and "What about the timeline?" flooded Dumbledore's ears before he rose a hand to silence the crowd. He patiently explained the spell to the Order and answered any questions they had. By the end of a half hour discussion, he was met with a general feeling of hope laced with quite a bit of anxiousness.

"I still think the whole idea is mental." Fred looked at his twin George who nodded his head in agreement. "Why would we put our faith in an ancient spell? And why would we bring back Slytherin? Why not bring back someone else who we know isn't a madman?"

"Like who Mr. Weasley?" asked Dumbledore.

Fred looked around at the other Order members. "Well…" Fred became uncharacteristically nervous as he had everyone's attention. "What about bringing back an actual loved one? What about someone like Sirius Black?"

You could hear a pin drop as the silence engulfed the room. The same thought had gone through everyone's mind, but no one had voiced the idea. Dumbledore moved to the front of the room to address everyone. "I know the temptations of such a spell are great. The idea that you can bring back someone you lost and loved greatly is a dream come true for many, but one must think of the consequences. The spell is not meant to replace someone. The person brought back is not the person you lost, and we do not know of any future affects such a spell will have on the revived person. Would you want to risk bringing back someone you loved only to lose them again? The spell was listed in a back section of the book entitled _The Forbidden Acts_. The ancient people knew the risks involving the spell, and forbid its use in all but the most dire situations."

"So what you're saying," began Lupin, "Is that we don't even know if the Salazar we brought back will stay healthy and sane?"

"The risks of the reviving spell were unclear, and even I do not know what will happen. I do know that the helping spell is unquestionable. Salazar is vital to the war with Tom, and he will be a great help to us."

"Do you mean you could have brought back a crazy Salazar Slytherin? This is worse than I thought." muttered Fred.

"He is most certainly not crazy. I mean that I do not know how the spell will affect him. We did technically create his body out of thin air. We do not know if he will age correctly or if he will suffer any long-term problems."

"Does he know all the risks Albus?" asked Molly Weasley.

"No, he doesn't even know that he isn't the real Salazar Slytherin. I believe it would be best if he never finds out."

"I don't like this Albus. You are toying with things that should never be opened."

"Keep the big picture in mind Molly. We are fighting a war that is becoming more and more violent every day. Raids rain down on both the magical and muggle war lead by one of the most powerful wizards Hogwarts has ever seen. In order to save the world, sacrifices must be made."

No one would say it, but everyone was thinking the same thing: better the sacrifice be someone with no connection to the present. Better a copy Salazar Slytherin be destroyed than one of their brothers, sisters, mothers, or best friends. An overwhelming feeling of guilt swept through the room as the Order thought about what they were agreeing to, but it is human nature to be selfish. The members of the Order were just as human as anyone else.

The room stayed silent for a few minutes more before Fred spoke up again. "Now I feel sorry for him, but I still do not trust him. What will this powerful wizard do when he finds out that the very people he is helping deceived him?"

"We will deal with the situation appropriately. Now, enough with this talk. We have a young man to meet who is undoubtedly ready to break down the walls with his impatience. Treat him with respect, and I believe that he will help us end this violent war." Dumbledore disappeared into the hall to retrieve Salazar.

The minutes seemed to creep by like hours as everyone waited with anxious breath for Salazar to enter. After what seemed like an eternity, Dumbledore stepped back into the room. "May I present to you Lord Salazar Slytherin." He stepped aside to reveal the young man. Everyone's responses were different. Molly Weasley could not keep the guilty sigh from escaping her mouth. Many of the female members of the Order felt their breath catch in their throats as dark eyes swept across everyone in the room. Many of the others, including the rest of the Weasleys, watched Sal with a calculating stare as if waiting to catch him doing something wrong.

Sal looked around the room making sure to keep his expression neutral; he was not going to let anyone guess what he was thinking. He quickly picked out the members of Ginny's family, as the flaming red hair was an easy feature to notice. He also noted the looks of trepidation on each of her brothers' and father's face. He decided not to analyze why that bothered him so much. "I am only here on Dumbledore's persistent requests. I can tell you that I am Salazar Slytherin, and I am here to help you. I will do all I can to rid the world of my heir as he is not who I want to continue my legacy. We will keep our agreement a secret as I will be returning to my own time as quickly as possible." Sal finished his carefully planned speech and scanned the room. He did not see the looks of guilt that flashed through the redheaded woman's eyes as he took his seat at the table. He leaned forward as Dumbledore nodded and began the rest of the meeting.

Outside the Dining Room Door

"Damn it! I can't hear a bloody thing!" whispered Harry as he tried once more to get near the door. "I can't even get within two feet of the door."

"They've got silencing charms and countless other security measures on that room." announced Hermione who had climbed out from under the invisibility clock an hour ago. She turned to look at Ron who was lounging on a chair in the corner. "Should we continue to let Harry try to break the door down, or should we come up with a new plan?"

"I say let him keep trying; maybe he'll get through."

"No." said an exasperated Harry. "It's no use. We can't hear anything." Harry had been incredibly disappointed when Mr. Weasley had informed them that they were not invited to the Order meeting. When would these people start treating him like an adult? He was the one who had to defeat Voldermort, so why shouldn't he be in on the big secret. He was just grateful that the Weasleys had been careless enough to let Ron over hear their plan, but now, he was no closer to a master plan than he had been a week ago. The trio had just gathered on the bottom step leading upstairs when that cursed door finally opened.

"Ah, Mr. Potter and company." Dumbledore smiled fondly as he talked to some of his favorite students. "Let me introduce you to Hogwarts' newest faculty member, Sal Slade." The trio made their way into the room and the other Order members left. There, standing in the corner engaged in a conversation with Severus Snape, was Salazar Slytherin.

"So, you are the potion master turned spy correct?" asked Sal even though he knew this was true.

"Yes, and you are the medieval wizard brought forward in time to save the world?"

"Of course."

"Things are not always what they seem Lord Slytherin, but it seems as if you are to meet some of your new students. I'll take my leave now." With a final look of contempt at Harry's direction, Snape left the room.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, this is Sal Slade. He will be the new assistant professor of potions at Hogwarts as well as an ally in the war against Voldermort."

"A pleasure." said Sal as he lifted Hermione's hand to his lips. "I am sure we will be seeing more of each other this fall as I will be teaching several classes."

"Certainly." answered Hermione as she gestured to Harry and a red-faced Ron. We'll be sixth years this fall and somehow we all made it to NEWT level potions."

"Wonderful, now if you will excuse me, I have several more people to meet." Sal quickly made his way to another group of witches and wizards on the other side of the room.

"I do not like him." whispered Ron as the three of them left the room and headed up stairs.

"He seemed a little off to me; he was too stiff and quiet- almost as if he was trying to keep something to himself." mused Hermione. She had been caught off guard by Salazar's greeting, and for a moment, she had thought she saw something flicker in his eyes when he looked at Ron.

"Well, of course he's hiding something Hermione." Ron shut the door as he began another one of his characteristic rants. "He's definitely up to something. Did you see the way he left so quick? He's hiding something."

"Maybe he really did need to meet everyone at the meeting Ron."

"What? Are you defending him now? I saw that look in your eyes when he kissed your hand. What kind of guy does that anyway? He's just trying to win you over."

"What do you mean that look in my eyes Ronald Weasley? I'll have you know…."

Harry stepped out of the room as his two best friends began another of their epic fights. Sometimes he just wished they would get over it had snog each other senseless, but Harry figured it would take at least a few more years before either would admit it. Harry leaned over the banister counting the house elf heads on the wall. He himself had been surprised with Salazar. He was young, and Harry couldn't figure out why the Order had brought such a young man back. Maybe Ginny was right; perhaps the Order meant to change Salazar's mind. Where did that leave him? According to the prophesy, he was the one who had to defeat Voldermort. If the past thus present was changed wouldn't that change the prophesy completely? Harry knew the Order was keeping something from him besides Sal Slade's true identity, and he intended to find out.

-Sal's room-

Sal collapsed onto his bed back at Hogwarts with a satisfied smirk on his face. The meeting with the Order has gone fairly well, and he was actually looking forward to the students' arrival that weekend. He would never admit it, but the thought of teaching really appealed to him. He knew what a struggle it could be to learn magic. In his time, many young wizards and witches died trying to mature into their magic. If their muggle parents didn't kill them, older wizards did to control the magical community. He was pleased that he was a part of creating a place where all magical children could learn to defend themselves. Speaking of magical children, he was intrigued by the three young students whom which Dumbledore had introduced. Of course, he had recognized Harry Potter from the _Witch Weekly_ magazines. He was often referred to as The-Boy-Who-Lived; Salazar had gone immediately back to the Hogwarts library to research the boy. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. This was the boy who had fought against Tom for years; the very fact that he had survived the killing curse impressed Sal. That particular spell had not existed in his own time, but he supposed the spell's effects were very similar to several spells he did know. That book had also included a section on three curses called "Un-forgivables" that were banned. Sal figured there was more to Harry Potter than anyone was telling him, but he figured it had no relevance to anything he was doing. Besides, Tom was his problem, and he would deal with the situation the way he seemed fit.

The other two had been interesting in their own ways. The redheaded boy, Sal could not remember his name, must have been a relative of Ginny's. 'Ginny' thought Sal as his mind went off on a rather pleasurable tangent. He had not seen her again, but he certainly had seen enough of her relatives to last a lifetime. They all seemed to dislike him, and her mother did not look at him for the entire meeting. He supposed she was just as distrustful as the rest of her family. The boy had looked at Sal with such distain; Sal had almost let his guard down. What had he ever done to the boy? He understood a certain amount of anxiousness would be expected, but the kid didn't even know who he was. He had not been at the meeting, and Sal could think of nothing that would warrant such hate. Again, Sal knew something was going on; he was so tired of being in the dark. If there was one thing Sal hated, it was to be lied to. He had a sneaking feeling Dumbledore was using him. Sal eyes narrowed as he thought about the old man. Dumbledore was a manipulative man, and while he had good intentions, Sal was sure he was keeping something vital from him. Sal would have to be careful; he wanted to gain something from this situation, and being lied to did not sit well for that.

The girl had been unnerving. Sal had felt as if she was looking straight through him. She was obviously a very smart young woman, and he knew he would have to watch himself around her, or he would give everything away. Sal's mind drifted to the other Order members he had met. The potions master was in one word: bizarre. He was cryptic, dark, and obviously had a very surly attitude; Sal liked him. The man was also head of Slytherin House (a concept Sal found very amusing), and certainly looked like a spy. Sal assumed the two would get along, but Snape was just to stiff for the two to become friends. Sal preferred the more lively type of friend; he supposed that was why he and Godric had been friends forever. He and Godric had hated each other when they had first met, but in time, they learned to appreciate each other and eventually become friends. Sal picked up another potions book to familiarize himself with as fond thoughts of his best friend raced though his mind.

-Dumbledore's Office-

The aging headmaster sat behind his desk with a heavy heart. His guilt had been increasing for the past few days, and he enjoyed the silence. He needed some time to think. He knew what he and the Order had done was highly unethical and even illegal in certain countries. His mind floated back to the mystery that was Salazar Slytherin, or Sal Slade, he corrected himself. He had been astonished when such a young, innocent (yes Albus saw though the façade) boy. If the spell had retrieved an older, meaner man, Albus would have no problems sacrificing him for the better good, but Sal reminded him of too much of his own students. The boy was still unaffected by whatever views tainted the older Slytherin, and Albus could not remain indifferent to the boy's struggle to find his place in this world.

'His place in this world.' thought Albus. 'He has no place in this world.' What would the boy do when the war was over? He fully intended to return to his own time and lead his life there. He could never go back as he technically never had left; Albus wasn't even sure if the boy would live that long. No one knew if he would remain in this plane of existence for more than few months. Albus could only hope that when Sal discovered the truth, he did not do anything rash, but the old headmaster feared that would not be the case.

The young man was a new variable in his plan. He did trust that the spell was correct and that Salazar was going to play a very important role in the upcoming war. If nothing else, Albus hoped that Salazar's presence would motivate the rest of the order to become more proactive. He was an old man, and he knew that there was a distinct possibility that he would not live to see the end of Voldermort's reign of terror. He wanted to be there for Harry. Harry was another one of Albus' concerns. Through the years, he had honestly learned to love the boy as the son he never had. He supposed part of his reasoning behind bringing Salazar back was to take some pressure off Harry. Albus had complete trust in the young man, but he was tired of seeing the young man suffer. For now, he would continue to work in front and behind the scenes, working to end the war that had held his country in fear for so long. He only hoped that after the dust settled there was still someone here to watch the sunrise.


	3. Back to Hogwarts

-Chapter 3: Back to Hogwarts-

A/N: Here is another chapter! The action is really starting now since I've finally gotten all the background chapters up. Tell me what you think of my sorting song. It took me forever. I want to thank all my readers and reviewers, especially my first two: R2D2 and Niki Malfoy. Enjoy!

-The Hogwarts Express-

The annual ride to Hogwarts was a tradition for Hogwarts students. It would probably be faster for the students to take a port key to Scotland, but some things never change. Right now, Ginny really wished that the train would go faster. Her brother and his friends were driving her crazy with their questions and evaluating looks. She knew she was acting strange, but she was too mad to pretend anymore. The day had started off well enough but had quickly deteriorated as time progressed. Harry and Ron had immediately started talking about Sal and how horrible he would be this fall. To her credit, she had not jumped to her feet and proclaimed he was nothing like they expected, but the temptation was there. Instead, she had quickly told them to keep their mouths shut about things they couldn't understand. Ever since, she had endured the sideways looks and whispered thoughts. Ginny sighed and leaned against the cold window of the train. She had opened her mouth and now they were suspicious. She didn't even know why she had bothered to say anything. It wasn't as if Sal would ever speak to her again, and he very well could be a mean, hateful snake. She still didn't think he was.

"Hey Ginny," Hermione's voice interrupted her musings, "We're almost there; you need to change into your robes."

Ginny pulled her robes out of her trunk as the boys left the compartment. Harry gave Hermione a look before the door slid shut. Hermione locked the door and turned to put her own robes on.

"So, Ginny: are you excited about the new year? I can't believe I'm a sixth year- feels like only yesterday I was running around the train looking for Neville's toad."

"Yeah, I'm not looking forward to my OWLs this year; Ron's told me some real horror stories."

"Ignore him; he makes a big deal out of everything. That's why I don't tell him everything; sometimes it's nice to talk to someone who isn't as hot-headed."

"Hmmm." hummed Ginny as she brushed a nonexistent hair from her black robes.

"You know Ginny, you can tell me anything, and I won't go off. Is there anything bothering you? You've been acting odd for the past few days."

"Nothing." answered Ginny sharply. "I'm just a little stressed about this year is all. It's nothing."

Hermione watched Ginny- her hazel eyes full of uncertainty- "If you're sure Ginny, but remember, I'm always here to talk." The girls were interrupted with a loud knock on the door. Hermione opened the door to let Harry and Ron back inside; as the two walked in, Hermione locked eyes with Harry and subtly shook her head. Ginny rolled her eyes. If they thought she was going to fall for the old 'girl talk' trick, they obviously forgot she grew up with Fred and George.

The group was quiet as the quartet walked to the horseless carriages that took the older children to Hogwarts. Ginny sucked in a breath of air as she rounded the corner and heard her friends do the same. Now she knew what Harry and Luna had been talking about last year. She couldn't keep her eyes off the terrifying creatures standing in front of the carriages: thestrals. She had heard Ron talking about the creatures after a particularly odd Care of Magical Creatures class last year, but she was not prepared for this. Ron had said Hagrid considered the animals misunderstood and not bad luck, but Ginny would not agree with him. Eye-less sockets took in everything around her, bones moved under paper-thin skin, and the overall feeling of despair overtook her as she felt the nausea creep into her throat. "No," she decided, "Thestrals were not misunderstood." She made her way into carriage thankful when Ron slammed the door shut.

"God Harry," began Ron, "Those things are worse than I ever imagined."

"I know; I'm sorry you guys had to see that." Harry didn't say anything else, but images of Ginny's horrified face haunted him all the way to the castle. 'She shouldn't have to see that,' he thought, 'It's all my fault.'

-The Great Hall-

The Gryffindor table was uncharacteristically quiet as the new first years marched down the center of the room to be sorted. The teachers including Sal sat at the front of the hall, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Sal was most anxious to see how the sorting would take place, and was surprised when Godric's old hat was brought out. 'I always hated that hat,' he thought, 'Odd it looks the same now as when I last saw it. Godric always was one to never throw anything away.' McGonagall sat the tattered sorting hat onto a stood and stood back allowing the hat to sing the annual sorting song.

_What people does the new year bring?_

_That changes the annual song I sing?_

_Would you be a Ravenclaw?_

_Whose intellect is never small?_

_Or would you be a Hufflepuff?_

_Would you be loyal enough?_

_How about a Gryffindor?_

_Whose bravery and love doth soar?_

_Or a Slytherin with mighty wit?_

_Tenacious and sneaky, they never quit._

_I choose your house, not your destiny._

_Your situation cannot be blamed on me._

_For in your head I shuffle and search,_

_From my place on this mighty perch._

_A warning now, I must confess_

_Intentions that were thought the best,_

_Will bring about political unrest._

_He walks among you, searching each face_

_For the one destined for his embrace._

_Fear the snake when lies are exposed_

_Start the sorting, my mouth is now closed._

Whispers broke out amongst the students and teachers; the hat given warnings before, but never one as straight forward as this. Something really must be wrong for the hat to say such a thing. "How does that bloody hat know everything?" asked Ron to no one in particular. McGonagall cleared her throat before calling out the first name, "Justin Adams!"

At the end of the sorting, Gryffindor had nine new members, Ravenclaw had eight, Hufflepuff eleven, and Slytherin accepted ten new members. Many parents had not sent their children to Hogwarts this year after reading the _Daily Prophet's _lies concerning Dumbledore and Harry. Even though Voldermort's resurrection was now confirmed by the Ministry of Magic, a year of negative propaganda was difficult to overcome.

Dumbledore stood before the great hall and raised his hands. "Before we begin, I wish to introduce you to two new staff members. First, our new yet not so new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin." Dumbledore waited a moment for the excited cheers from the Gryffindors to abate. "We also have a new assistant professor of Potions, Sal Slade. Mr. Slade will be teaching some of Professor Snape's classes as well as continuing his own independent research. Please make both of them feel welcome. Now, tuck in!"

The Hogwarts students dove into their dinner while excited whispers filled the hall. Many were thrilled a new potions professor was present as Snape's classes were notoriously difficult, and the professor himself was not well liked. "I think I've died and gone to heaven." announced Dean as he started on his dessert. "To think we'll get some time off from Snape."

"It's a dream come true," said Lavender as she pulled a cookie from the massive pile on the table. "He's kind of cute too; how old do you think he is?"

"He can't be much older than us." Dean looked over at Seamus who was shoveling pie into his mouth at an alarming rate. "I'd guess he's around twenty."

"He's eighteen." Everyone turned to look at Ginny. Ginny felt like pinching herself. Why couldn't she just keep her mouth closed when it came to Sal?

"How do you know that?" asked Lavender.

"Oh, I heard my parents talking about him this summer." Ginny nervously answered. Luckily, Ron came to her rescue by quickly changing the topic.

"Isn't it great that Professor Lupin is back this year?"

Ginny excused herself from the table and left the great hall. She did not feel like spending any more time with her classmates. She couldn't get into the common room yet as she did not have the password, but she knew the prefects watched the doors on the first night to let in late comers. She found herself headed in the direction of the owl tower and decided that was as good a destination as any place. When she reached the high tower, she sat on a small stool near the massive window facing the Forbidden Forest. The year had just started, so the tower was still relatively clean as she watched the lights twinkle in the sky.

"What exactly is it about that forest that makes it forbidden?" asked a voice from behind her. Ginny automatically reached for her wand and turned to face her opponent. She was surprised to see the face of Salazar Slytherin with an amused smile on his face. She lowered her wand.

"You scared me to death!" she rolled her eyes as she turned back to the window. "What are you doing up here anyway? Aren't teachers supposed to stay at the sorting feast until everyone leaves?"

"Well, yes." he answered with a mischievous grin on his face. "But you and I both know I am not a regular teacher."

"True enough."

"Well, what is it about that forest?"

"There are a lot of dangerous creatures out there, and I've heard there is also an abandoned house in the middle of the forest that some rather vicious ghosts inhabit."

"Really? That sounds like a grand place to poke about on a boring night."

"Not for me. I've heard enough stories from my brother and his friends about that place. Ron isn't the only Weasley with a fear of eight-legged monsters."

"Hmmm." answered Sal. He didn't know why he had followed Ginny from the great hall. He enjoyed talking to her. She knew who he was, and she was comfortable around him. He could not understand why he felt such a peace around her. He had never felt this way about anyone before, and he was a little unsure as to how to proceed. But why was he even considering these thoughts? She would never respond the way he secretly wanted her to.

Ginny was in a similar predicament. Why on earth did Sal follow her up here? She didn't mind, and that's what had her worried. She was completely comfortable being alone in an isolated place with him. He could do anything to her up here; no one would even hear her struggle. Some how, she knew he wouldn't do that. "So, are you looking forward to your first classes tomorrow?"

"Honestly? Yes. I can see how I could open a school like this. I'm rather excited about them." He gave her a calculating look. "While I've got you up here, do you feel up to answering a few questions for me?"

Ginny hesitated, "I don't know if I should be the one you are talking to. I'm not supposed to know who you are. Remember? Perhaps you should be talking to Dumbledore or another member of the Order."

"I remember, but you do know who I am. I also know that you will give me a straight answer."

"How do you know that?"

"If you were going to withhold information, you never would have told me you knew my name."

"Touché"

"What do you know about me?"

Ginny was surprised at the question. What did she know about Sal? What she had been told all her life did not match up with the young man standing next to her. "Only what I've been told."

"Such as?"

"You, along with three of your friends, started Hogwarts and that you left because of a disagreement."

"I've gathered that from all the history books I've read. Tell me about the disagreement."

"According to legend, you left the school because you disagreed with the type of students admitted to Hogwarts."

"You mean Muggle-born students."

"Well, yes. You said they should not be allowed to come to Hogwarts, some think you even went as far as suggesting Muggle-born students shouldn't be allowed to practice magic at all. Voldermort's campaign against Muggle-borns has only reinforced the idea since he is your heir."

"I never would say they couldn't come to Hogwarts. I might have my doubts about their parents, but anyone with magic should be allowed to learn about magic."

"So you personally don't have any problems with muggles or their magical children?"

"I don't trust muggles. They hear of one of our villages and they raid the town and burn our families. The less they know about us, the better." Salazar turned to look out the window and closed his eyes as if remembering something.

Ginny broke the silence. "I thought real witches and wizards couldn't be burned at the stake?"

"If they know the incantation. Tell me Ginny, would you be able to save yourself? I don't think they teach that kind of magic anymore. Most of the real magical people that died at the hands of muggles were children or old women who couldn't perform the spell anymore."

"What about muggle's magical children?"

"If their close-minded parents do not kill them, I have no problem with them living and working among us. I don't particularly like or dislike them; I just ignore them."

"So you do not want to rid the world of unclean magical blood?"

"Never."

Ginny looked at the man standing next to her. She could not believe what she was hearing. She knew he was telling her the truth, but everything he told her had sat her marvelous plan on its ear. If he didn't hate muggles, how could she change his mind? Why had the Order brought him back at all? Sal interrupted her thoughts.

"Is that why so many people hate me?"

"What?" asked Ginny. "What are you talking about?"

"I've seen how members of the Order look at me, and I've noticed the dark looks your brother has been giving me. Does he know who I am?"

"Yes, so do Harry and Hermione."

"I figured as much." An awkward silence filled the tower as the two looked out the window. "Thank you for telling me the truth."

"You're welcome." Ginny studied Sal from under her eyelashes. He seemed truly upset, but was doing a bang-up job of hiding it. She could tell, but since when could she read Salazar?

"I suppose you had best get back to your dorm."

"Yes, it is rather late." Ginny reached for her red cloak and pulled the fabric over her shoulders. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes, tomorrow." answered Sal. With one final glance, Ginny left the tower, and made her way to Gryffindor tower.

-The Tower-

Sal sat on the giant window seal of the owl tower contemplating what Ginny had told him. He knew she had been telling him the truth, and it explained why so many people who knew his real identity seemed to dislike him intensely. He hadn't done anything to them: _yet._ Because of what he had done to them, or what he would do to them, or… Sal shook his head. Time travel was confusing. He could see how such an argument would lead to the others wanting to get rid of him. Hell, Helga was a muggle-born witch, and she was one of his best friends. Why would he not want muggle-born children to attend Hogwarts? He didn't understand. What had really happened all those years ago? 'I'll find out soon enough.' he mused as he stared at the woods. Suddenly, a shocking realization came over him. He knew where he was! He'd been here before; in fact, he had been in this area many times.

Sal hurried out of the castle and headed straight to the edge of the forbidden forest. He quickly stepped in and made his way quickly and efficiently through the thickest part of the forest. He didn't feel any fear as he walked down the rarely used path. Sal's mind wondered back to when this particular path had been very worn and used; now one could only see the path if you knew where it was. Sal turned the corner, entered the clearing deep in the middle of the woods, and saw a house he thought he would never see again.

Three stonewalls still stood majestically projecting into the clear skies. You could still see the outline of the rest of the house that stretched outward to encompass the whole of the clearing. Sal made his way to a corner of the clearing where two stones marked a small patch of earth. Sal kneeled before the stones and brushed all the loose leaves and mold from the inscription.

_Selena Aelfthryth Slytherin_

_Beloved Daughter and Sister_

_Born- 12 December 1012_

_Died- 4 October 1023_

_Juvenal Selena Slytherin_

_Beloved Mother_

_Born- 7 March 980_

_Died- 4 October 1023 _

Sal knew this place well; he knew now where in Scotland he and his friends had decided to build this place of learning- a place where magical children could learn to protect themselves from the horrors of misunderstanding and hate. The place his mother had been murdered. A place where he had grown up and couldn't help his only sister when she had been burned at the stake when she was only ten years old.

-The First Day of Classes-

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat in the Great Hall eating breakfast; their schedule cards had been given out. "Double potions with the Slytherins first thing on a Monday morning!" exclaimed Ron. "I don't think I'll make it this term."

"You'll be fine." said Hermione as he pulled a book out of her bag. She immediately turned to her bookmark and proceeded to read.

"Maybe, I'm wondering what Salazar will be like in class."

"Shhh." indicated Harry as he looked around the room. "We can't let anyone know what's going on. Could you imagine what people would say? The Ministry would have a fit if they knew what Dumbledore was up to. They might even try to get rid of him like last year." The boys cringed as they remembered Umbridge and her annoying voice, habits, and sometimes sadistic methods. "We'll find out soon enough."

Ron shook Hermione's shoulder to get her attention before the three of them made their way into the dungeons for their first potions class of the year.

Meanwhile, Sal was rummaging through Snape's desk getting his thoughts in order for his first class. Snape had been called to a Death Eater meeting late last night and had arrived back to the castle in bad shape; the nurse had refused to let him leave the hospital for at least two weeks. Sal supposed he would find out all the details at the order meeting that night. As pleased as he was to be teaching, he was not expecting to go solo on his first day. Well, sometimes things happen for a reason. He grabbed a book before walking down the hall and into the potions classroom.

He was greeted by the sight of about 30 sixth year Gryffindor and Slytherins. Sal took a breath to compose himself as he made his way to the front of the class.

"As you can see, Professor Snape is unable to teach today, and I will be attending to his classes for the next few days." He stood casually next to Snape's podium. With a wave of his hand, the instructions for the potion the class would be making appeared on the chalkboard. "As you know, this is NEWT level potions, so we will be working with much more difficult and dangerous potions. Today we will be attempting the _Medicinal Contusionus_, a potion used for the treatment of deep cuts and a common NEWT test subject. Find a partner, and follow the instructions on the board. I will be observing your process."

The students rushed to find a partner of the same house and quickly began preparing the potion. Sal walked among the students offering advice and warnings about how to create a perfect potion. He hadn't been lying to Dumbledore when he had said potions were his favorite field of magic. He found himself thoroughly enjoying helping the students. Sal walked towards the Gryffindor side of the room, and immediately headed to Neville's cauldron. "Mr. Longbottom," began Sal.

"Yes?" stuttered a nervous Neville. He never was good at potions; Snape made him too nervous. He flinched slightly as the new potions assistant headed towards his table. His partner, Harry, looked almost as nervous as Neville himself felt.

"What where you about to add to this potion?"

"Umm…Hippogriff talons?"

"Yes, and what does it say about hippogriff talons in the directions?"

"That they should be finely chopped."

"Are these talons _finely_ chopped?"

"I don't know sir."

"No, these are talons are cut up, but they are still too large. When a potion calls for finely chopped ingredients, it's best to err on the side of making them too small. These need to be reduced in size many times over before you add them. Other than that, you and Mr. Potter seem to be on the right track." Sal left the stunned boys to answer a question a Slytherin girl called out from the back of the room.

"Did he just walk away? No yelling? No points taken off?"

"I guess so." answered Neville. "I guess he's not a snake like Snape."

"You have no idea Neville." answered Harry as he turned to chop up their talons.

The rest of the class passed with no interruptions as did the rest of Sal's first day of classes. About an hour before dinner in the Great Hall, Sal decided to take a walk around the castle to clear his mind. His first day had been, in all accounts, a success. His students and not blown anything up, and he had felt an honest joy fill his heart as he had helped them. Yes, teaching was in his blood. He frowned as a thought entered his head: why had he left then? He did not want to head to the teacher's lounge to celebrate as most of the teachers were also in the Order and would undoubtedly give him evil looks for the duration of his visit. He headed towards the lake and sat under a large tree on the bank. He needed to be alone with his thoughts for a few moments. His mind eventually drifted to his wayward heir and current bane of his existence: Tom Riddle. "What am I going to do about Tom?" he asked aloud.

"You know, talking to oneself is the first sign of insanity."

Sal turned his head towards the familiar voice.

"With the way we keep bumping into each other Sal, you'd think fate had it in for us." Ginny moved to sit a few feet from Sal's current position against the tree.

"You would think." answered Sal with a genuine smile on his face. "What are you doing out here?"

"Probably the same thing you are. I often come out here to think. The tower gets too crowded and noisy this time of day."

"I can understand that." A pleasant silence filled the air.

"Have you decided what you're going to do?"

"About what?"

"Tom"

"Oh, no I haven't." Sal rubbed his forehead before lying down on the grass. "I really don't know how to deal with him, but I've got a few good leads on his methods."

"Like what?"

"What makes you so interested in Tom Riddle Ginny? You really shouldn't be involved in this kind of war. You're too young and innocent to be a part of this problem. You should be enjoying yourself instead of sitting on here talking to me about getting rid of Tom."

Ginny tensed before answering, "I'm not that innocent Sal."

"What?" Sal sat up abruptly to look at Ginny. He caught that sad look in her eyes again as her eyes drifted back towards the castle. "What happened to you Ginny?" Ginny closed her eyes and hung her head. "Look, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I mean, I don't even know you that well, and it is probably none of my business." Sal moved to leave but stopped when he felt Ginny's hand on his arm.

"I'll tell you."

Sal and Ginny sat together under that tree as Ginny told him what had happened to her when she was eleven. After she had finished, she was near tears. She had never had an opportunity to talk about the ordeal with anyone, and she was immensely surprised when Sal tenderly touched her hand.

"I'm sorry that happened to you Ginny. Trust me; I'll make sure that he pays for doing that to you. The very thought of someone using my name would do that to a young girl makes me sick. My family may do many things, but we do not torture young children. Not after Abi." he added to himself.

"Who's Abi?"

Sal looked towards the woods. "She was my little sister. She died when she was ten."

"What happened? If you don't mind me asking."

"When I was fourteen, Godric and I had left my home early one morning to go to town on an errand for my mother."

"Godric Gryffindor?"

"Yes, he and I are best friends. It is surprising that our two houses at Hogwarts get along so poorly. Godric is my best friend and confident. He knows me better than anyone else, and I know everything about him. I miss him."

"So you had gone to town?"

"Yes, we got back rather late because we had stopped to visit Rowena even though Mother had told us to come straight back home. We thought that an hour or two wouldn't make a difference." Sal clinched his teeth as a far-off look entered his eyes. Ginny scooted closer to him to lay her hand on his. Sal looked at their hands before continuing. "I knew something was wrong when we turned to corner of the trail leading to the house. The smell of burnt wood and something I could not identify terrified me. I ran into the clearing surrounding my house with Godric right behind me. I couldn't move because of what I saw. My mother, my beautiful mother, was lying dead near our front door. Her hair was stained with blood and the house was on fire behind her."

"Merlin!" breathed Ginny.

"All I could think about was my little sister, Abi. We called her Abi because her real name was much too long. I used to tell her: A short name for a short girl." Sal smiled at the memory before regaining the controlled look on his face. "I ran around the house trying to find her, and I did finally find her behind the house." Sal closed his eyes, and he could see the image perfectly in his mind. "She was tied to a stake. She had been burned alive on a stake. The last wisps of fire were dying from the pile of ashes at her feet. I still can't get the sight of her burned face out of my mind. She was in so much pain when she died, and she could do nothing to save herself. She was too young."

"Who?" asked Ginny.

"Evidently, a group of muggles from a village outside the forest had heard of a witch family living in the woods. They picked up their torches and decided to send us back to hell where we belonged."

"Oh, Sal." whispered Ginny as she pulled his hands into hers.

"If I had only listened to my mother, I would have been there. If I had only come straight home, I might have been there to help them."

"There was nothing you could have done. If you had been there, they might have killed you to."

"Sometimes, I think that might have been best." Sal surprised himself with his honesty; he had never even told Godric that.

"No!" announced Ginny as she pulled a astounded Sal into a hug. "Then you wouldn't be here, and I wouldn't have anyone to talk to. I've never told anyone about what happened in the Chamber of Secrets, and I'm glad you're the first."

"I've never talked about what happened that day in the woods." Sal answered as he broke the hug and pulled away. "I don't know why I feel so comfortable around you Ginny Weasley. I don't know why, but I feel like I could tell you anything."

"I feel the same Sal." A million thoughts raced though Ginny's head. She had just come out to the lake for some fresh air and quiet before dinner. Now, dinner was almost over and she was sitting hand and hand with Salazar Slytherin, and she couldn't think of any place she had rather be.

Sal found himself looking into Ginny's blue eyes. He didn't know what had happened this evening. All he had wanted was some peace and quiet. Instead, he had opened up to a girl he was sure he shouldn't have. This could never work. Her family hated him; his name was synonymous with hate. She was a beautiful girl whose life had been tainted by his evil heir, but he could not escape her gaze. With a rush of courage, Salazar Slytherin leaned in and kissed Ginny Weasley firmly on the lips.

Ginny was lost in the moment. Sal was kissing her, and she was kissing him back. Her mind floated back to the night she first saw him. Yes, such perfection was not evil. The duo was so caught up in the moment neither noticed the young man watching them from a castle window.

-Somewhere in Hogwarts-

He did not know what he had just seen, but he was sure it was important. He knew for a fact that he had just seen Ginny Weasley and the new potions assistant, Sal Slade, locked in a passionate embrace beside the lake. His mother had told him to keep his head down and the Ministry and Dumbledore wouldn't bother him. Besides, the Ministry had nothing on his mother or himself; they couldn't touch him. Not that he had done anything in the first place. His father had kept his dealings with the Dark Lord to himself, telling him that he was too young. Well, now his father was in Azkaban, and he was the head of the Malfoy family now.

Draco slid in the dungeons he shared with the rest of his fellow Slytherins. That new potions professor was up to something, and the Golden trio knew what was going on. Draco had not missed the looks of contempt the Weasel had sent the newest addition to the Hogwarts staff. His mind went over Slade's face as he entered his room and rummaged though his trunk. He knew he had seen that face before, but he could not figure out where.

He pulled out an old book he had managed to save from the Ministry's unethical surge on his home. The studied the golden lettering on the front cover, _Fire Wisps: The Life of Salazar Slytherin_. This book had been the only one he had saved before the shelves of the library had been scoured for any book deemed "dark". Draco knew that really meant they had taken any book they thought would be useful to that damned Order of the Phoenix.

Draco flipped though the pages until her reached a rare portrait of Salazar Slytherin when he had been a young man. No date was given, but the inscription beneath the painting read: _Salazar Slytherin on the eve of his nineteenth birthday._ Draco's eyes roamed the page in absolute shock. He might not be the brightest wizard, but he knew what he saw. Sal Slade was no potions assistant. Sal Slade was Salazar Slytherin. 'But why is he here?" thought Draco as he pushed a long strand of platinum blond hair from his face. 'It has to do with the Dark Lord, but what? How did he get here? What was he doing with Weasley?' Draco slipped the book into his bag before heading to the library to do some research. He didn't know why Salazar was here, but he intended to find out.


	4. Time Marches On

Chapter 4: Time Marches Forward

A/N: Thank you to all my reviews and even those people out there who read and don't review. I'm sorry about the delay. Life happened.

Ginny was sitting in a red, comfortable chair in the Gryffindor common room with a huge smile on her face. It was the first of October, and she and Sal's relationship was still going strong and a secret. She had just sneaked back from a secret meeting with Sal in his office. Despite the feelings of warm fuzzies in her stomach, Ginny's mind couldn't help but wonder to what else was happening in her world. Sal had been teaching more and more of Snape's classes. Voldermort was getting more and more ruthless with his Death-eaters; just last week, a failed raid had induced the mad man to torture his own men for hours. Sal told Ginny everything concerning the Order, and sometimes, Ginny wished she really didn't know everything. Voldermort was planning something big; that much was becoming more and more obvious to the Order. He had been leading them around by their noses for months now. There was no pattern to his attacks. Voldermort wasn't stupid; he was up to something. He was trying to distract them, and he was doing a very good job of it. Ginny cleared her mind and pulled her Potions text out of her bag; she needed to get some work done.

Meanwhile in another part of the castle, Harry Potter and his best friends were sitting around a table. Hermione was working on a potions assignment that was due the next day; Ron and Harry were struggling to complete the same work.

"Come on Hermione!" pleaded Ron, "Just let me read the first few inches."

"No- besides you know Professor Slade as an unholy sixth sense when it comes to uncovering cheating. He caught you and Dean just a few days ago."

"Git." responded Ron before he pulled another thick book from the pile on the table. "You would think we would have less work with Snape out of the picture, but no that snake has to give us even more homework."

"Where has Snape been anyway?" interjected Harry as he rubbed his hand to remove an ink spot. "I haven't seen him around for weeks."

"I think it has something to do with You-Know-Who.," answered Hermione. The table immediately fell silent as the trio looked around the library. They were alone.

"Do you think it's bad?" asked Ron.

"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling. Something big is going to happen, and I can't help but feel nervous."

"What about Slytherin? Wasn't he supposed to be here to help us out? So far, all he has done is fill in for Snape." Ron pushed his Potions parchment aside to focus on his friends. "I still don't know why they've brought him back. Maybe they knew they'd need a new potions professor."

"No, they could have just hired a new professor." Harry ran his hands through his hair as he continued. "I think there is definitely something up with him. I think it's about time we found out why the Order thinks it was such a grand idea to bring him around." General nods of agreement went around the table.

"But first," grinned Ron, "Hermione has to share her Potions homework!"

-The Dungeons –

Salazar Slytherin was not having a good day; in reality, he was always anxious this time of year. In three days, it will be the anniversary of his family's death. Understandably, he was in an atrocious mood. Of course, other things were keeping his spirits down. The Riddle problem was becoming more and more dangerous; the lunatic had racked up almost unimaginable numbers of crimes in the few months Sal had been here. Sal had no idea how he was to help the Order when all they let him do was fill in for the potions master. Yes, yes, someone had to fill in while Snape was fulfilling his spy duties, but Sal thought his time could be better spent in the library. His research had not shown any light on his past, but he had come across an interesting idea in an old book he had found in the restricted section. Horcruxes were definetly something in which he was interested. 'If I were an evil, crazed dark lord, I would want something to ensure my survival.' Sal muttered to himself as he continued flipping though the essays his sixth years had written.

He had already approached Dumbledore with his ideas and the old man had enthusiastically jumped upon the idea. Evidently, he had been working through the idea himself. Hell, it had only been a week and there were already several possible options for the Horcruxes; of course, they still had no notion of how many Horcruxes were out there. Dumbledore seemed to think that since the Voldermort had such an attachment to Hogwarts, Voldermort would steal objects precious to the four founders. Sal had made Dumbledore a list of items he could think of, and the two of them had begun the arduous process of finding the missing relics. The Sorting Hat had already been tested and found to be a regular (if not oddly eccentric) magical hat. Many more objects inside Hogwarts had been tested as well, but so far, nothing had been found. "Damn." Sal rolled his eyes as he realized he had been doodling all over Terry Boot's essay. He let his eyes wonder to the window and the lake outside.

The lake had pleasant memories for him- in his memories and in the present. He still felt out of sorts whenever he saw Ginny. There was no doubt that he cared for her, but he could not say he loved her yet. With time, something could evolve from what they had started. Time was not something he had. Was it fair of him to expect her to love him when he would be gone? They could never be together the way other couples could be. They would never have children because he had to go back. He could not stay here.

'And why not?" asked a little voice in his head. He shook his head, if he did not go back, the time line would irrefutably be destroyed. Ginny might not even be born, and he certainly could not risk the existence of the future because he fell in love with a girl he should not have. 'I should break it off with her, but I can't.' Pushing his depressing thoughts from his head, Sal went back to grading his deplorable student essays.

- October 4th –

The moment Sal opened his eyes, he knew that today would be a bad day. Luckily, Snape had been released from the infirmary the day before and was in full student-torture mode. Sal had heard from Ginny that the man was practically cackling evilly at dinner last night. 'I guess he needs to let out some pent aggression,' thought Sal as he pulled himself out of bed and into the shower. After a hot shower and a change of clothing, Sal went back into his bedroom to try to figure out to do with himself for the day. Any other day he would be avoiding Dumbledore, trying to find Rowena's favorite childhood blanket (Horcrux?), and sneaking off to find Ginny. He really did not want to do any of the above today. Sal pulled his cloak onto his shoulders as he made his way out the door. He knew he couldn't go anywhere else today. With a sigh, Sal made his way into the Forbidden Forest.

Now usually, Hermione was a very punctual person. In fact, on her first day of grade school, she woke her parents up at dawn, so she could be sure to get to class on time. All that changed when she went to Hogwarts and met two very disorganized, dysfunctional boys. Hermione, Ron, and Harry were running down the hallway trying to get to their Charms class on time. Harry had insisted he find his favorite red shirt to wear, and Ron had spent the extra time to copy Harry's transfiguration homework- typical. What was unusual was for Hermione to suddenly stop and pull the two into a dark corner of the hall.

"Really Hermione, if you wanted to find a dark place to snog, all you had to do was ask."

Hermione harshly poked Ron in the side as she pointed to the rapidly approaching figure. "It's Slytherin," she whispered as the trio silenced themselves.

Usually, Salazar Slytherin was a very observant and powerful wizard. He could not easily be followed or snuck up on. Today was a very unusual day as Harry and Ron convinced Hermione to skip Charms and follow Salazar Slytherin into the Forbidden Forest.

Salazar was lost in thought was he made his way down the familiar pathway to his childhood home. 'Why am I going out here? I'll do nothing but sit in my own misery for a few hours before walking back to the castle to brood for hours.' Sal cringed as he turned the corner and approached his family's gravesite. As he brushed the leaves from his mother's headstone, he heard a rustle of a cloak. 'Someone has followed me.' With the stealth of a cat, Sal disappeared.

"Where the hell did he go?" asked Harry. "He was right here just a minute ago."

"He just disappeared. Do you think he heard us? Ron quickly turned his head to try to locate the mysterious potions teacher.

"Maybe he led us out here so something could attack us." Harry pulled his wand from his pocket and moved in to a defensive stance.

"Will you two stop being stupid." Hermione motioned for her two friends to come to the gravestone Sal had been cleaning. "I know why he came out here today." She motioned to the two gravesites as Sal motives become clear to the others. "Do you think these people were his family?"

"My mother and sister actually." came a deep voice from behind them. The trio circled to find Sal leaning against a tree on the outskirts of the clearing.

"What do you want?" exclaimed Ron as he unconsciously stepped in front of Hermione.

"What do I want? I think the more appropriate question would be why did you three follow me out here? But of course, I already know the answer to that."

"Care to enlighten the rest of us then?" asked Harry as stared hard at Sal.

"You know who I really am."

The trio was momentarily stunned. "How do you know that?" asked Hermione.

"I'm very insightful. Plus, it's not hard to figure out once I realized that the three of you hate me for reasons that go beyond catching you cheating on my tests."

"What are you going to do now?"

Sal stared at the three students that had intruded upon his day. What was he going to do now? He knew he would have to confront them eventually as they knew his true name and purpose, but he always thought he would have more time to prepare something to say. He rolled his eyes as he decided just to wing it. "Nothing as nothing has really changed. Now we know each others' secrets, and will continue to act as we always have."

"No." answered Harry. Ron and Hermione looked at Harry with an incredulous look in their eyes. "The Order brought you back for a reason, and even if you don't know it, I play an important part in Voldemort's destruction. I want to know what you know."

"Quid pro quo- little Gryffindor. First, tell me what you know."

Harry watched Sal apprehensively as he began to speak. "When I was a baby, Voldemort killed my parents. He tried to kill me, but the killing curse bounced back and dispelled him from his body. He wondered the world as a spirit before stealing my blood to resurrect himself. He has been after me ever since."

"And why would he be so interested in your family in the first place?"

Harry hesitated as he looked at his friends. He hadn't told them about the prophesy yet, but in order to get his answers from Slytherin, he knew he had to tell them. "Voldemort overheard a prophesy. _The one with the power to defeat the dark lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies, and the dark lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the dark lord knows not, and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord will be born as the seventh month dies. _ Basically, I have to kill him or he kills me." Harry shifted to friends as the two stood frozen in their places with horror.

"Oh, Harry, why didn't you tell us?" whispered Hermione.

"Because I didn't want you to look differently at me. I wanted to be normal, well, as normal as I can be."

"Harry, we'll always look at you the same. Now we know what we have to do."

"We?" asked Harry with hope in his eyes.

"Of course mate. Your destiny is our destiny. We're with you all the way." Ron smiled at his best friend as Harry quickly regained his composure to look at Sal.

"Now you know everything I do."

Sal was stunned. He knew Dumbledore was keeping something from him, but he didn't think it was as important as this. He should be working with Potter, and Potter should know everything he did. 'I am going to have a conversation with that man.' he thought darkly as he prepared to speak.

"I did not know your destiny was so entwined with my heir's Potter. Know this; I was brought here to help. Dumbledore and I believe Voldemort has created Horcruxes."

"What's a Horcrux?" asked Ron as the tension surrounding the foursome dropped a few degrees.

"It provides him with immortality. To kill Voldemort, you will have to destroy his Horcruxes first. Dumbledore believes the Horcruxes will be related to the Founders, and who better to find them but a founder themselves."

A light kicked on in Hermione's brain. "You are here to help us find and destroy the Horcruxes."

"Why you?" asked Harry. "Why not another founder?"

"Dumbledore preformed an ancient 'help me' spell that indicated I could be of some service. Lucky thing I came, as Godric would never be able to fill in for Snape."

The trio stood silent in the little clearing as Sal quickly turned to go back to the castle. The Gryffindors slowly made their way back to the castle, not noticing that Salazar had not been the only Slytherin privy to their conversation. Ever since Slade, no Slytherin's, little party on the lake with Ginny Weasley, Draco had kept an eye on the man.

'He really must have been preoccupied if he didn't hear me.' thought Draco as he pulled his extendable ear from the ground and back into his pocket. As much as he loathed admitting it, those Weasley twins had talent. After making sure the coast was clear, Draco moved to read the headstones. 'So, today was the day Slytherin's family died.' The incident had been mentioned his book, but a date had never been given. Draco ran a hand through his hair as he moved to make his way back to the castle, his mind racing a mile a minute.

'Slytherin is here to help Dumbledore and Potter bring down the Dark Lord? God, the light side is doomed if Potter is the only one that can finally defeat Voldemort.' Draco knew this was the very information that could endure himself to the Dark Lord. Draco paused as he left the forest's canopy. 'I'm just not sure if I want to.'

-In Gryffindor Tower-

The students of Gryffindor house learned long ago to not bother the Golden Trio when they were in an investigative mood. The older students pulled the first years to the side every year to tell them: "That is Harry Potter and his two best friends. When they are looking into something, and you'll know when they are, don't even bother trying to talk to them. They'll never hear you." As was the case when Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked through the portrait and immediately settled in the corner of common room to talk. The rest of Gryffindor house just rolled their eyes and continued to do their essays.

"Do you believe him?" asked Harry as they settled into red chairs.

"I do." answered Hermione. "I still have a feeling that he isn't telling us something, but I don't think it has to do with why he was brought back."

"It makes more sense than Ginny's save the evil Slytherin theory." remarked Ron. "Think about it. When Harry defeated You-know-who, he didn't really die. The Horcruxes must have kept him in that spirit form thingy."

"Yeah, that makes sense." added Hermione. "I'm going to the library to see if I can find out some more about Horcruxes. Can I borrow your invisibility cloak tonight Harry? I'll probably have to dig through the restricted section"

"Sure." said Harry. "I'd like to know what I'm up against. I also want to know more about Slytherin. How did his family die? Why does he keep referencing Godric Gryffindor? Do you think they were friends?"

"All the legends lead you to believe they were best friends at one point in time. I wish I knew why he left in the first place. Actually, I don't think you have to be the one to destroy the Horcruxes Harry. All you have to do is deliver the final blow." Ron winced at how callous his last remark sounded, but Harry waved his hand.

"It's ok Ron. I've had all summer to deal with the prophesy. I'm just glad I have you two on my side."

"Slytherin too Harry."

Ron and Harry turned to give Hermione a gob smacked look.

"It's true. I believe him when he says he wants to help. I've heard about these 'help me' spells. They are incontrovertible. Salazar can and will be a great help to you in the war."

"I still don't trust him." said Harry.

"You have to Harry. I think we should spend some more time with him."

"What?" shouted Ron and Harry. The rest of the common room turned to stare at the trio as Hermione pulled the disgruntled boys back to the table.

"You want to know what he knows. He wants to know what we know. Harry, I'm asking you to keep an open mind."

"Fine, I'll talk to him more, but I can't promise I'll ever trust him."

"That's all I ask Harry."

The Trio turned as the portrait door opened and the rest of the Gryffindor sixth years walked though the common room.

"Hey guys." said Neville as he dropped his book bag on the floor. "Where were you in Charms today? We had a pop quiz." With a quiet scream, Hermione buried her head in her hands.

Harry and Ron couldn't help but grin as Ron answered, "Around."

-Dumbledore's Office-

It was late afternoon as Sal arrived at the Headmaster's office. "Lemon Drop" said Sal as the gargoyle moved to allow Sal up to the office. He found Albus buried in a huge amount of paper work.

"Why didn't you tell me about the prophesy?"

Dumbledore sighed as he pushed his work away. "How did you fond out?"

"I have my ways. Really, shouldn't we be working with the boy?"

"I wanted to work out all the details before I brought Harry in."

"You should tell him what we know. You and I have been scouring the county for pensive memories. At least tell him what we know."

"Ok, Salazar. I'll keep Harry better informed." With a satisfied smirk, Sal left the room. Albus took off his glasses as he rubbed his sore eyes. He had been up all night, and he had finally made some significant ground in the search for the Horcruxes. Tom had seven Horcruxes. Research had provided Dumbledore with that much. Apparently seven has the maximum number of times a soul could be split before killing the creature. Albus was sure Tom would take his search for immortality to the limit. Sal and he had agreed that the diary Harry had destroyed was in fact, one Horcrux. The two also had good leads on Salazar's old family ring and locket as well as Helga's golden cup. Those should be retrieved and destroyed before Christmas. That left only two more, as Tom himself was the seventh Horcrux. The Founders pattern fit, but nothing could be found of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. Albus slipped his glasses back on as he continued to rearrange his desk.

Sal had proved to be an even more valuable asset than first intended. He kept the potions classes going, and without him, finding the location of the three Horcruxes they knew existed would have taken much longer. Albus knew Harry must be brought in on all the latest revelations as well as the rest of the Order. He decided it was time for another Order meeting. One that Harry, and by default, Ron and Hermione could attend. Sal, of course, would be absent as Albus was sure the Trio still had no idea who he really was. 'I'll just have to make sure it stays that way.'

-#12 Grimmauld Place-

"I can't believe we are going to finally get to go to an Order meeting." said Ron as the Trio grabbed a length of rope that served as a port key to Order Headquarters.

"Yeah." answered Harry excitedly. Last night had been a night of revelations for Harry. Hermione had utterly exhausted the Hogwarts library for references to Horcruxes. All her could find out was that they were a forbidden magical object. Harry was greatly surprised when Dumbledore had called him into his office. The old man had literally, told Harry every thing he and Sal had uncovered about the Horcruxes. Of course, Dumbledore kept referencing an 'expert' on the Founders, but Harry knew whom he was talking about. He had done as Hermione had suggested, and gone to speak with Slytherin a few times on his own. The conversations had been short, and full of tension, but Harry had the feeling that both of them felt better knowing what was going on in Dumbledore's head. Harry had not, however, solved the mystery of Slytherin's departure from Hogwarts. Turns out, not even Salazar knew.

With a brilliant, blue light, the port key activated, and the Trio found themselves outside the door to order headquarters. 'Here we go.' thought Harry, and they walked inside.

Harry and the others sat around the large table as the rest of the Order tricked in. Mrs. Weasley looked a little put out that the three had been allowed to attend, but Arthur's hand on her arm kept her from insisting they leave. The room quieted as Albus entered the room and proceeded to tell everyone what he had told Harry earlier.

After the Hogwarts students had left, feeling very much included and clueless that the meeting had secretly continued after their departure, the Order began discussing other business. "Does anyone have any ideas as to where the three known Horcruxes could be or even what the other two are?" asked Lupin and he and Tonks continued to brainstorm over a sheet of paper.

"Mundungus, do you know anything?" Mundungus squirmed under the scrutiny as he cleared his throat.

"Well, I've been going through some of the old belongs of the Blacks…"

"You mean stealing." Said Lupin with a snarl.

"Well, I don't rightly call it stealing Lupin."

"Tell us what you know you thief."

Without further pretense, Mundungus pulled a dirty, silver locket from his pocket. Dumbledore as well as the rest of the Order's eyes grew large as Mundungus passed the object to the old Headmaster. "I was going to take it to Knock turn Ally later tonight, but that was before I knew what it was." Dumbledore got visibly excited as he quickly pocketed the Horcrux.

"Mundungus, for once I will not chastise you for your less than admirable habits. I am proud to announce two Horcruxes have now been found and this one will be destroyed later tonight. The meeting ended on a happy note as the rest of the Order left to return home and think on the events of the meeting. Molly, however, held back.

"Albus," she tentatively asked.

"Yes Molly?" Dumbledore was temporarily thrown back at Molly's unusually quiet voice.

"Where is Slytherin?"

"He remained at Hogwarts to keep Harry, Ron, and Hermione's suspicions under wraps."

"He's not sick or anything?"

"No, my dear he's perfectly fine? Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Molly returned to her husband's side as the two apparated back to the Burrow. Molly's conscience was really bothering her. Despite her inherit dislike for Salazar Slytherin, he couldn't help but be concerned for him. She felt as if he was very important to someone close to her, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why. She shrugged as she left the feeling go. It was probably nothing.

-Back at Hogwarts-

Sal and Ginny were curled up in a large chair in his office. He had just filled her in on all the news concerning Voldemort, and the two of them were resting comfortable watching the fire.

"Sal, what are you going to do when you have destroyed all the Horcruxes?"

"I don't know Ginny; I don't know."

"You're going to leave aren't you?"

"You know I have to."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it."

Sal moved so he could look at Ginny's face. "I'm not going to like it either. I care for you Ginny. I've never let anyone get as close to me as you have, especially in such a short time. I feel as if I'm rushing things, but everyday I spend with you is another day closer to the time I must go. I don't want to pressure you and maybe I'm selfish, but I don't want to leave you."

"Then take me with you."

"What?"

"When you return to your time, take me with you."

"You know I can't do that."

"Maybe I'm selfish too then Sal, because I don't want to lose you." Quiet once again filled the room and Ginny and Salazar held each other close.


	5. Another Secret Revealed

Chapter 5: Another Secret Revealed

Sal felt like slamming his head repeatedly onto the massive table that occupied the room; he restrained himself for his brain's sake. One would think that a secret, vigilante group dedicated to the eradication of a homicidal, insane monster would be a nonstop evil fighting machine; one would be mistaken. Weeks had passed since the last known Horcrux had been destroyed: the diary, locket, ring, and cup had all been destroyed through the combined efforts of Salazar and Albus. Since then, all activity had ceased but not for a lack of effort. Sal had racked his mind for where the last two pieces of Voldemort's soul could be, but every idea he had came up to be a false lead.

Currently, Sal was suffering though another rather pointless order meeting. Albus always said the same thing, the rest of the order agreed before giving Sal an odd look, then, the group would disperse. Suddenly, one of the Order members, Remus Lupin, said something aloud that caught his attention. "Maybe one of the last Horcruxes is another piece of jewelry. Seems like metal holds the soul fragments well, and Voldemort has used two pieces of jewelry before."

Sal felt as though a brick wall had fallen in his mind as he had a revelation concerning the Horcrux linked to Rowena. "It's her diadem."

"Pardon?" interjected Remus.

"The Horcrux linked to Ravenclaw. I can't believe I haven't thought about this earlier. Each Horcrux we have discovered so far has been very personal. Regarding the Horcruxes linked to myself and the other founders, it has always been a family heirloom."

"Are you sure Mr. Slytherin?" asked Remus, an excited look already on his face.

"Positive, the only issue is where he could have hidden the diadem after the Horcrux's creation." Sal thought a moment before speaking. "He hasn't hidden any of his Horcruxes in Hogwarts yet. If the information Dumbledore has given me is accurate, Tom felt as if Hogwarts was his home. I assert that Tom Riddle as hidden his fifth Horcrux somewhere in Hogwarts."

"But we have searched every room in Hogwarts! There is no way we could have missed something like that." Lupin looked around the room for confirmation. "The Horcrux may be the diadem, but we need to look else where."

"I'll keep looking for other options, but I'm not sure where else to start. We have searched Rowena's childhood home and old rooms. I will have to look more intensely at Hogwarts."

"The Christmas holidays are beginning in two days. That will give you a month to continue your search," added Dumbledore. "We will all keep our eyes open for this artifact."

Sal left headquarters a few minutes later as the meeting adjourned. He grinned to himself as his port key sent him safely to his office where, to his surprise and joy, sat Ginny.

"How was the meeting?" she asked after engulfing Sal in a hug. The two had grown considerably closer in the past few weeks. No one was aware of the relationship, but Sal was beginning to think that Granger was noticing a few of Ginny's mood swings and odd disappearances.

"Good," he replied as he pulled Ginny down onto a comfortable couch. "I think I know what kind of item he placed his next Horcrux into. I also think he hid it here in Hogwarts, but we have searched this castle from dungeon to tower and still found nothing. Merlin knows I'm going to have to spend more time in the library and the surrounding areas trying to come up with another location." Sal paused as he heard Ginny giggle. "What is so funny?" he asked.

"I just think it's interesting how you are picking up on all the new colloquialisms and speech patterns we use now. When you first came here, I could barely understand a word you said. Now look at you, using Merlin's name in vain when he hasn't even been born yet in your time."

"I know, why is it he is so important? Maybe it should be Slytherin or by Helga."

"I guess it is just one of those things we will never understand."

"I wish Helga were here right now. Whenever I get pushed into a corner concerning a problem, she always gave me a fresh perspective. She used to talk about how I get too focused on the trees to see the forest."

"She sounds like an interesting person."

"She is, but I guess since she isn't here I will just have to rely on you for perspective," Sal joked as he pulled Ginny closer. "Tell me Ginny, is there a magic place where everything I wish for could be present?" Ginny froze as she stared at Sal. "What is it Ginny?" asked Sal.

"Actually Sal, there is such a place."

A few moments later Ginny was dragging Sal up and down a corridor on the seventh floor of the castle. "It's called the Room of Requirement, or the come-and-go room. All you have to pace in front of the door and think about what we need: in this case, a room to hide things in and keep the contents safe."

"There is no door here Ginny." Sal was seriously beginning to worry about his girlfriend (another odd, new word that had found itself in his vocabulary). Maybe you should go back to the Gryffindor tower and lie down." The words had barely left his lips before a door appeared in the wall directly in front of him. "Ginny, you are fantastic!" Sal gave her a quick kiss before both entered the room. Sure enough, there where shelves and shelves of old items in the room. Sal was immediately transfixed and began searching the room for the diadem and any other interesting objects he wanted. "Look here," he got Ginny's attention before further investigating the object, "It is an old cabinet; it reeks of dark magic. There is even an inscription on back: _To take you to my other half_." Sal reached his hand into the cabinet where his hand disappeared into the back. "That is not normal."

"Maybe you shouldn't go in there Sal," commented Ginny as she pulled Sal's arm away.

"It has to lead somewhere. If it can allow us to move to another place, maybe it can allow others to enter here." The two of them looked at each other before coming to a decision.

"_Reducto_!" Both called out the spell and reduced the cabinet into nothing more than a pile of broken wood and nails.

"I wonder where it led." Ginny murmured as she vanished the remaining pieces.

"I have no idea, but I feel better knowing it is no longer here at Hogwarts. Perhaps we should look at all the shelves for dangerous items." Ginny nodded her head as together; they purged the room of all dangerous or questionable items. They had almost gone through the entire room before Ginny found the diadem.

"Here it is!" she called out to Sal as she picked up the cursed piece of jewelry. "It is beautiful."

"Yes, Rowena's family always had good taste. This is definetly a Horcrux too. You can feel the evil coming off the object in waves." Ginny quickly gave the diadem to Sal who pocketed it. "I think we have done enough in here for one night. I'll come back sometimes during the holidays to finish cleaning out the room. First, I think I will get this Horcrux to Dumbledore and destroy it. This means there is only one more to find before we are finished." Sal kissed Ginny again as they headed for the door. Once outside the two embraced again before heading in different directions.

-Dumbledore's Office-

Albus awoke to a high-pitched ringing as one of his many instruments let him know that someone was at the door to his private rooms. Only teachers and a select few of the members of The Order of the Phoenix knew of the door, so he knew this was important has he shoved his feet into his slippers and grabbed a nearby robe. He was surprised to see a triumphant Salazar standing outside his door with a small diadem.

"I believe we can add another destroyed Horcrux to our list Albus."

Albus smiled broadly as he let Sal enter the room. "Seems like your instincts were right again Mr. Slade." Sal placed the diadem on the table near the door. "Allow me to retrieve the Basilisk venom to destroy this one." Yes, the basilisk venom as a Horcrux destroyer had been one of Albus' ideas. Since the venom did indeed destroy the first Horcrux, the diary, the aging Headmaster had correctly assumed the poison would destroy all the rest.

Sal readied himself as Dumbledore poured a generous amount of venom on the object. As with the rest, a horrible scream rang out as the soul fragment died. The silencing spells surrounding the room kept the rest of the castle from hearing the horrible cry, but Sal was always present for the destruction. The screams were deeply disturbing. Dumbledore quickly threw a host of spells at the object, and when the item was indeed confirmed to be Horcrux free, he placed the diadem into a secure trunk he kept shrunken under a floorboard under his bed. True, the location was a little unorthodox, but Dumbledore eccentricities were some of Sal's favorite features of the old man. "One more, then we can finally put an end to all this. I must ask you Mr. Slade, where did you find this item? It must have been here at Hogwarts, but we searched everywhere and could not find it."

"Have you heard of the Room of Requirement?"

"Yes, I believe young Harry and his friends started a gorilla defense against the dark arts class in the room."

"There was also a host of dark objects in the room. We cleaned out most of the shelves, but I will go back sometime over the break to clean out the rest of the items. There were also large amounts of interesting books and magic detectors I have back in my quarters that may be useful.

"We? Salazar, who went with you into the room? I'm assuming this is the same person who revealed the room's location to you." Dumbledore had a pensive expression on his face as he studied the young man in front of him. "Was it an order member?"

Sal mentally kicked himself. How could he have let that slip? Now he had to explain that not only did the Headmaster's favorite trio of students know who he was, but also he was spending time with another student. His face however, revealed none of his apprehensiveness. "You need to place better spells to ensure the privacy of your order meetings."

"Did Harry show you to the room?" asked Albus as he ran a hand through his beard.

"Potter knows who I am and what I am doing here. He knows as much as I do."

"I'm assuming that Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley know this as well."

"Yes. Ms. Weasley as well."

Albus sat in a chair near his bed and conjured up a chair for Sal. "I must admit, I had thought this may have happened. They seemed a bit too knowledgeable at the meeting they attended. How long have they known?"

"The elder Weasleys need to keep their conversations private. Their children have been aware of my true identity since the night I was brought here."

"Very well. I suppose the lot of them will be privy to more information than I thought they should be. What is done cannot be undone. I will think about the best way to deal with this. Thank you Mr. Slade. I hope you have a nice evening. I will send a port key to your room in a few days time."

"A port key?"

"Yes, since the Horcrux has been found, I believe you need some time off. Christmas at Headquarters will give you some much-needed time away from your work. It seems as though you will not even need to disguise yourself." Albus smiled as he gently pushed Sal out the door and retired back to his chair. 'This is very worrisome,' he thought as he penned several letters letting key order members know the fifth Horcrux had been destroyed. 'I need to find out how much the children know. I hope they have not revealed the true nature of Slytherin's reviving and the unknown circumstances.'

-Gryffindor Tower-

Ginny smiled as she slipped into the Gryffindor common room and headed towards her brother and his friends. She immediately flopped down into a chair across from Hermione as the older girl noticed her. "So what are you guys up too?"

"Not much," answered Hermione as she continued to watch Harry lose another chess game to Ron. "Harry seems to think that if he stares at the game board enough, Ron's king will instantly be transported to another, less protected part of the board."

Harry rolled his eyes as he continued to stare at his lone pawn next to his own king. "I'm thinking Hermione. I can totally find a way out of this."

Ron grinned as he relaxed in his own chair. "I don't think so Harry. I actually think you're getting worse at this game the more we play." The others laughed as Harry scratched his head in mock misery.

"Where have you been Ginny?" asked Hermione.

"Just wondering around some- I had a letter I needed to send, so I've been the owl tower for a little while."

Hermione nodded as she gathered her books and completed potions assignment. "You know what I've been wondering? How does Slade know all these potions? I mean…" she looked around before continuing, "most were invented after his time."

Ginny knew Sal usually followed Snape's lesson plans, and he knew which unknown potions to research before class. Whenever he was caught unaware, he usually just gave a quiz or taught an older more familiar portion. "He must spend a lot of time in the library. I know I've seen him there plenty of times." Hermione seemed content with that answer as she finished packing her bag. "I can't wait until the break," Ginny continued. "I thought Ron was exaggerating when he said OWL years are the worst, but now I think he is onto something."

"I told you they were organized by the most evil witches and wizards known to mankind. I think NEWTS are going to be even worse. Oh, by the way Harry- I win again." Harry sighed as he admitted defeat again to the Gryffindor chess king.

"At least we have proper teachers this year. No more ministry appointed nitwits."

"True. I wonder how long Slade is going to be here. I actually like his classes, but I know before long we will be subjected to Snape's rants again uninterrupted by classes of bliss."

"I don't know. I imagine he will be here until You-Know-Who's defeat." Hermione's answer seemed to satisfy the boys as the three stood to leave the common room. "Are you coming up Ginny?"

"No, I think I'll sit down here for a little while."

"Okay," said Hermione as she snuck looks at Ginny. Hermione had noticed Ginny had been disappearing more often than normal lately and that she could move to happy to sullen (like now) at the drop of the hat. She hadn't been the only one to notice; as oblivious as Ron seemed, he was tuned in to the people he cared about. He had asked her just that morning if she had noticed anything odd with Ginny. Hermione knew something was off, but she just didn't know what or how to deal with it. 'Maybe Christmas will be good for her,' she thought as she followed the boys up the tower stairs to their respective rooms.

Ginny was oblivious to her friend's concerns as she watched the trio move up the stairs. Hermione had accidently hit a sore sport with her. She didn't like to think about Sal leaving; she didn't even like to think about his spending Christmas alone at Hogwarts. Of course, she realized Sal couldn't stay forever, but she pushed those thoughts to the back of her head. 'I just wish I could spend more time with him.'

- Head Quarters -

Ginny was, once again, in an irritated mood as she lugged her trunk up the narrow stairs to her room. Hermione was spending the holiday with her parents, so Ginny would have the room to herself until after the New Year when Hermione would join her for the few days before school started back. She was irritated because she had not gotten to speak to Sal since the two of them had cleaned out the Room of Requirement. It seemed as of Hermione and even Ron had made an extra effort to include her in everything the trio did. If she didn't know any better, she would say it was a conspiracy. She hadn't had the chance to sneak off the see Sal at all. He did send her a letter via owl she received yesterday saying he would see her soon, but gave little details. Once she had pushed her trunk under the bed, she looked around room for something to occupy her time.

"Ginny?" called out Molly.

"Yes Mum?"

"Would you please get Ron and Harry and join us in the dining room? We need to discuss something with you." Ginny's heart immediately jumped as she left to round up her brother and his best friend.

"Hey you guys…" Both boys looked up as she entered the room. "Mum wants to talk to us in the dining room."

"About what?"

"Do I look like a seer Ron?" Ginny left the room as her disgruntled brother and friend followed to enter the dining room. She was surprised to see her mother and father as well as Dumbledore sitting at the table. Molly looked very apprehensive as Dumbledore gestured for the three to sit as he obviously prepared to speak.

"I believe we need to discuss a few events that have occurred in the past few months." Molly began to tap out a pattern on the table as Albus continued. "Am I correct in assuming Ms. Weasley is up to date with the last order meeting you and your friends attended Harry?

"Yes." Harry nodded as he looked at Ginny. "She's a good friend, and we thought she needed to know what was going on."

Ginny knew that she actually knew more about the Order and its dealings than the boy-who-lived, but the trio had actually told her the main ideas covered in the meetings. She correctly assumed her involvement in the Department of Mysteries events and earned her a spot in the elite 'knowing what the hell is going on' club.

Dumbledore nodded. "Well, I am happy to inform you that the fifth Horcrux has been destroyed. Mr. Slade discovered its location, and he and I destroyed it a few nights ago."

Harry and Ron broke into wide smiles. "That is great!" exclaimed Ron. "Now just one more left before Harry can off the git."

"Well," said Molly as she stood. "I think that is about all they need to know right now. Ok kids…"

"Molly, we have discussed this," interrupted Arthur. "They need to know all the facts or they may make some huge misjudgments regarding a certain individual. Partial knowledge can be a deadly thing."

"We are aware that the three of you as well as Ms. Granger are aware of Mr. Slade's true identity."

The three were momentarily stunned before Harry spoke up. "Yes. We know he is Salazar Slytherin."

"And how long have you known his true purpose?"

"Since he got here."

Dumbledore rubbed his nose in a familiar gesture of stress before continuing. "What you have overheard is only a partial truth. I believe you need to know exactly what we are dealing with regarding Slytherin before you make hasty judgments and actions. He is indeed Salazar Slytherin brought here through an ancient reviving spell. Another ancient spell foretold his assistance, and he has proven to be a valuable asset to our cause." He paused before continuing. "He is not however, the original Salazar Slytherin."

"What?" asked Ron.

"He is basically a collection of all of Salazar's memories up to the point he was revived. For all extensive purposes, he has all of the abilities, memories, and traits of the eighteen-year-old original man. However, since we created his body here in this time, there is no danger to distorting the time line."

"Do you mean that he never is going back to his original time?" Ginny's voice almost revealed her happiness at the thought of Sal staying here with her.

"He will remain in this time frame Ms. Weasley."

"So, you made a copy."

"A gross oversimplification Harry, but in essence yes."

"So, how long is he supposed to be here? Is that why you set up such a good alibi? So that he could have a life here? Does he know about this?"

"Salazar does not know the circumstances surrounding his revival. I know this is a lot of information to take in, so I'd advise each of you to think carefully about this information before continuing to work with Slytherin. He is aware that we know you know. He will be staying here for a few days for a bit of a vacation before completing some work for the Order. I also wish for you to keep this information to yourselves. Tell no one outside of the order, and do not tell Slytherin."

"Shouldn't he know this kind of information?" asked Ginny.

"I will tell him in good time. Now, it has been a long day and an even longer evening. I think it's about time to adjourn this little meeting." The three students left the room, each occupied with their own thoughts.

"Can I write Hermione and let her know what is happening?" asked Ron as he left.

"Yes, however, let your father charm the parchment so only she can read it." Ron nodded and continued out the door.

"You still didn't tell them everything Albus," remarked Molly as she stood. "If you are going to tell them all that, why not tell them about Salazar's questionable health and time restrictions."

"In good time Molly. I find information in best digested in pieces. Before they go back to school in January they will know everything we do about the spells." A few moments later, Albus flooed back to his office, and the Weasleys left to prepare a light dinner.

Harry was floored. He was currently reclining on his bed trying to get some sleep, but the events of the evening were keeping him awake. He couldn't help but feel bad for Slade, or Slytherin or whatever he was. His original apprehensiveness concerning Slade had disappeared since Slade was not the evil wizard who had turned the world on its ear. 'But he has all those traits' he thought to himself. The hat's warning rang in his head. Would Slade become angry and aggressive when he discovered his true nature? Harry had spent some time with the man, and while he did not know him every well, Slade had seemed genuine enough concerning the destruction of Tom. 'Maybe he will not take it too badly. He seems to enjoy life here, and maybe he will take it as a new chance. Or maybe he will follow in his original persona's footsteps.' Harry continued to toss and turn well into the night.

Ron, like Harry, was finding sleep elusive. He liked to keep his life simple, and this latest complication was huge. He had worked out most of his feelings on the subject in the letter he had sent Hermione earlier in the evening. In all, he felt sorry for the bloke. He still did not fully trust Slytherin, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Salazar was the victim in all of this. 'He's just a snake,' he thought to himself as he closed his eyes. 'Better all this happen to him than to someone else.' Ron fell asleep trying to justify to himself that what the Order had done was ok.

Hermione's vacation in France had not begun as she thought it would. She had just retired to her room when she noticed Ron's owl at her window. She smiled to herself as she took the letter, gave the owl a treat, and sat down to read the letter. To say she was stunned would be an understatement. She could understand the Order's reasoning for reviving Slytherin better now, but she couldn't help but think about the questionable morality of the past few month's actions. She couldn't imagine being told that everything she knew was a lie- that her memories weren't her memories and that she was just a copy of an original. Hermione, as perceptive as usual, wondered how long Slade was meant to be here. After all, there was a reason you would not transfigure living creatures out of thin air. Sure, you could alter their properties, but to create a large, complex, living creatures out of nothing but magic was not normal-even in the wizarding world. It looked like she would be cutting her vacation short.

Ginny's mood changed from being astoundingly happy to intensely angry. She was thrilled that Sal did not have to go anywhere and that he could stay with her forever; however, she could not believe what the order had done. Sal was not a copy! He was not some creature designed to imitate a long dead wizard. He was real. He had emotions, he could love, and he was everything to her. Ginny paused after that revelation. Yes, she loved Sal. What had started out as an undeniable attraction had turned into a deep love. Yes, she knew she was too young to be thinking about these things, but she couldn't imagine life without him. "I love him," she said aloud. She knew one thing for sure; she would not keep this from him. When he arrived at Head Quarters for Christmas, she would tell him everything.

Molly was worried. Actually, that seemed to be a constant state for her the past five and a half years. Part of her knew that her children were growing up fast- too fast in her opinion, but war has that effect on children. She knew that since her children were already so involved in the war, they deserved to know everything they could to make good decisions- especially Ron and his friends. She thought of Harry as a son, and if she was right (and she usually was), Hermione would be her daughter sooner or later. Those three were so involved in the war due to the prophesy and the ties of friendship that they needed the information. She was not happy about their involvement, but she understood.

Ginny was another matter all together. Her baby girl had already seen too much and felt too much hate for a girl her age. Molly wanted to protect her forever. She wanted to wrap her up tight and hide her at the burrow until this whole matter was finished. The girl she had picked-up from the train station had been different from the girl she had worried about this past summer. Ginny was still aloof and kept to herself, but the darkness behind her eyes had seemed to disappear. Molly was not naive. She knew of only one thing that could cause a girl to dance when she thought no one was looking. Only love could have erased the unhappiness from her Ginny's eyes. Ginny was young, but Molly was not one to discount young love. She and Arthur and fallen in love when she was 16; she believed love so young was possible. Now to find out who had won her little girl's heart.

-Malfoy Manor-

Draco had some serious decisions to make. His father was still in jail, and his mother was constantly in tears. His aunt Bellatrix was in the house, and Draco could say for certain that he did not care for his aunt. Currently, his 'beloved' aunt was making sure his mother knew how worthless his father was.

"The Dark Lord should have known better than to trust such a delicate situation as capturing the prophesy to Lucius. I've always thought he wasn't good enough to hold such a high position with our Lord."

Draco shook his head as he moved past the room containing his mother and aunt. He supposed the only reason the manor was not completely overrun with Death Eaters was because of the wards. The wards surrounding the manor were old, and as such only those related to the Malfoys could be there without undergoing a ritual. Since only the head of the household could perform such a ritual, and since said head of household was in Azkaban, Draco and his mother were quite content in their home.

Since he would not take control of the Malfoy Empire until he was seventeen, the Dark Lord had not been interested in him. Often Draco thought of how he could reveal what he knew to Voldemort and ask for his father's release in return, but he was beginning to have serious doubts about Voldemort. The man was cruel and even seemed to torture and degrade his own followers. He had certainly turned his back on his father when Lucius had made a mistake. Draco knew that his lack of involvement in the war would end as soon as he turned seventeen, a date fast approaching. If he wanted out, he had better come up with a plan.

_**A/N**_: I know this chapter is a long time coming, but if you want to hear my excuses, read my profile page. I've tried to address several questions people had in this chapter as well as move the plot along. I hope you all enjoy, and let me know what you think. Plus, tell me what you think the last Horcrux will be. It will not be Harry since I want to have some originality in my Horcrux hunt. Please review, and I'll try to update faster.


	6. An Eventful Christmas

Chapter Six: An Eventful Christmas

-Dumbledore's Office-

Albus was finishing some paperwork concerning surprisingly expensive supplies for Minerva's transfiguration class when Fawkes trilled from his stand near the Headmaster's desk. With a fond look at his long-time companion, Albus stood, stretched, and went to refill the beautiful bird's water dish. "Just a moment old friend and you will be situated once more." Fawkes trilled again in contentment as Albus stroked the feathers on the bird's head. The man had been finishing paperwork concerning the spring semester for almost an hour and a painful crick had formed in his neck. Albus rolled his head as he thought about the next day. It was December 23, and tomorrow, Salazar would be joining the rest of the order for a few days at Headquarters. Albus had already sent the port key and time of activation to Salazar, so the Headmaster himself was ready to celebrate the season with no more errands to attend to before the holidays.

Of course, other actions needed to be completed before classes started again. One of the most pressing was the issue of Salazar's questionable continuing presence. The children would need to be told, but Albus had decided that Salazar himself needed to be informed of his unique state. 'It really isn't fair to the young man to be so uninformed concerning himself, and he might not want the students to be aware of his potential health issues' mused to Headmaster to himself, 'I am still worried about his reaction.' Regardless, Albus had a meeting with Salazar that very night to discuss the issue with the other wizard. The idea that one of the children might tell him before Albus could did not sit well with the old man. A knock interrupted Albus' thoughts as the time of such meeting had come. "Come in Mr. Slade."

Sal didn't know why Albus wanted to have a meeting with him the night before he was scheduled to spend a few days at Order Headquarters. Sal was actually quite excited about getting out of the castle for a few days. He had finished cleaning out the room of requirement's closet of hidden objects a few days earlier. He had also taken advantage of the unique properties of the room by spending much time in a replicate of his old room in Godric's family home. After the death of his mother and sister, he had moved into his best friend's home until his father had returned from his trip to France. Sal surprised himself with the thought of his father. Since he had arrived in this time, he had often spent time missing his friends and comforts of his original time, but he had not given more than a passing thought to Simeon Slytherin. He and his father had never been very close, but Sal greatly respected the older man. 'I wonder what he would have thought about all this,' he thought. Sal grabbed his cloak as he left his room to go to Albus' office.

He walked down the hall as he continued to think about the upcoming holidays. He was very excited to see Ginny again. He had sent her a cryptic letter telling her he would see her soon, but he did not give away any details. He had spent a lot of time picking out an appropriate gift for the young witch, and he was very happy with his choice. He wanted to leave her with something special to remember him as well as something she would genuinely love. He smiled to himself as he knocked on the office door.

Sal walked into the room and took a seat opposite Albus' desk as the Headmaster settled into his own chair. "What is it you needed to discuss Albus? If it is about the last Horcrux, I haven't come up with any new ideas. Obviously it is something tied to Godric, but I have not exhausted all my resources yet." Truthfully, he had been a bit preoccupied for the past week to do any real research concerning the matter.

"No Mr. Slade. I am here to discuss something else with you." Albus ran a hand though his beard as he considered how to continue. "I need to tell you something I have been keeping from you since you were revived."

Sal sat up a little straighter in his seat. At last, he would know what the old man had been keeping to himself for months.

"The rest of the Order knows, so you may have noticed they act a little oddly in your presence." Sal nodded as Albus continued. "Since I discovered that several of the students had more information that I realized, I have since filled them in on several important details that you yourself do not know."

"Like what?"

Albus took a deep breath. "It is true that an ancient spell revealed that you would help us greatly in the war effort, and that spell has proven to be quite accurate. Without your help, I shutter to think of how the Horcrux hunt may have proceeded. I want to thank you for that."

"What about the other details Albus?" Sal was beginning to get very anxious and annoyed with the Headmaster. "Just tell me."

"The reviving spell did not bring Salazar Slytherin through time. The spell's magic created a body, and in that body the memories, talents, and traits of the man were placed. The spell actually created the Salazar Slytherin we all know as Sal Slade in this time line."

A moment passed where silence filled the office. 'It all makes sense now,' Sal thought to himself. Why the Order was not worried about altering the timeline, why certain members of the Order looked at him as if he were not even human, and why he had been feeling uneasy for the past months. Thoughts raced through his mind as he reviewed the past few months of his life or in reality, he realized, his entire existence. The stoic potion master's words ran through his mind, "Not all is as it seems." Albus continued.

"In many ways, this is good. You do not need to worry about altering the timeline, and you can continue to live here in this timeline. I tried to create an alternate identity that you would feel comfortable occupying for many years." Sal's continuing silence seemed to unnerve Albus slightly. "Do you have any questions?"

"I want the book."

Albus raised an eyebrow. "Which book?"

"The book that contained the spell. I want to read about the spell."

Albus opened a desk drawer and pulled out an ancient text bound in leather. "I must warn you Mr. Slade. The text goes in detail about the consequences of the spell. There are still a few details concerning your future that the students are not aware of yet. I plan to fill them in on all the details, with your permission, soon. I realize you must be in shock right now, and I do encourage you to read the book and think about the reasons behind why we did this. The war was becoming unbelievably violent, and we were all struggling for ideas. This book seemed to be the answer to all our prayers as it seemed to be a perfect solution."

Albus handed Sal the book as both men stood. Albus rubbed his nose, as he needed to say one last thing. "I want to ask for your forgiveness Sal. I know I may not deserve or get it, but I do want to let you know one thing. I do not regret my actions as I have gotten to know a truly unique, amazing person."

Sal took the book and started towards to door, his hands shaking in a barely contained emotion.

"Please, do consider spending the holidays with us at Headquarters. I will understand if you choose not to do so. I will be in touch if you have any questions you want answered in the meantime. Please keep in mind Sal, the world is a beautiful place, and it is worth saving." With one last look, Sal left the room as Albus sank dejectedly into a chair.

- Outside the Castle -

Sal sat against a tree on the bank of the lake near Hogwarts. He was not surprised he had ended up here; after all, this was one of his favorite spots. It was dawn, and he was watching the sunrise over the water as he pulled his cloak closer. He had not slept all night. The moment he had left Albus' office, he had headed to the library. He had spent all night reading the ancient book and cross-referencing every note he made. He felt sure he finally understood the details. He was not Salazar Slytherin. The very thought seemed counterintuitive. He was Salazar Slytherin! He had to be.

Not only was he not who he knew he was (very confusing), but he could just disappear in an instance. The book itself had not mentioned how he would eventually die. The book seemed to insinuate that he might have health issues or become mentally unstable as the magic that bound him to this plane of existence began to dissipate. Personally, Sal believed that since he had appeared in an instance, his exit would be equally abrupt.

He was furious. He was beyond furious; however, he had no one he could direct his anger towards. Albus seemed the obvious choice, but there were over fifty other wizards and witches who had the same information. Albus was not the villain in this tale. 'I suppose, I am just mad at the world.' Sal grimaced as he pulled himself up to move towards the castle. If he was completely honest, he had surprised himself with his reaction. He was upset, and he knew the information he had learned last night would be enough to keep him from sleeping for the rest of his life. The very thought of his friends and family sent him into a tale spin. He had never met Helga, Rowena, or Godric. How could his best friend be a man he had never met before? His mother, sister, father…how could their absence hurt so much if they were not his own? Everyone he had ever known, loved, and cherished was dead- he would never see them again, and he mourned.

What surprised him is that he had not immediately killed Albus and made plans to demolish the rest of the Order in a friendly Christmas massacre. 'Ginny,' he thought to himself. 'Ginny is the only reason I am still sane.' Thoughts about Ginny, keeping Ginny safe, and keeping Ginny happy kept Sal from making any hasty decisions. He still had work to do here. If Riddle were allowed to win, everything he had come to love here would be destroyed. He would not lose everything. He had plans; plans that included the Order as well as a few ideas he had. He had noticed the name written in the corner of the first page of the old book: Lucius Malfoy. 'I have to finish this,' without another moments hesitation he knocked on Albus' door.

Albus had also not slept well the previous night. He had tossed and turned all night long as he reviewed the meeting with Sal over in his mind. Albus was perceptive enough to know that Sal was very upset; in fact, Albus knew that Sal was furious. Albus had just finished preparing for the day when he heard a knock on his door. With a frown, he opened the door to see Sal standing there, book in hand. "Mr. Slade."

"Albus" The Headmaster moved away from the door to allow the other man to enter the room. "I have a few questions."

-Sal's room-

Sal had spent the rest of the morning planning his next move. He had talked to Albus for over an hour before retiring back to his own quarters to make a few further plans. He had asked that the students not be told that the magic surrounding the circumstances of his revival was weakening. Of course, his reasoning behind all this was Ginny. Not only did he not want her to worry, he didn't want any of their pity. Yes, he had finally identified that look many Order members gave him: pity, and he was sick of it. He did not want any other people giving him that look.

As for his own plans, he still was going to spend the next two days at Headquarters. He did want to give Ginny her gift, and he needed to talk to Harry Potter. Albus and Sal had discussed the boy in their meeting, and Sal knew the boy was important in his overall plans. Harry had to be ready to take Tom out of the picture once all the Horcruxes were destroyed. Once Sal had found and destroyed that last Horcrux, he planned to turn his attention to helping Harry meet the Dark Lord at the best moment. He even had a few ideas concerning that.

He had spent the past few hours researching the Malfoy family. He knew Draco Malfoy was in his sixth year at Hogwarts, but he had never really paid any attention to the boy. Evidently, the Malfoys were strong dark arts supporters, and Lucius Malfoy was in Azkaban for being a Death Eater. 'Why hasn't Voldemort gotten him out?' Sal knew Tom had the resources for a jail break, so why had Lucius been in jail for months. Evidently, Tom wasn't happy with the Malfoys. Maybe Draco was looking for a way to get out before the same happened to him. 'I need to have a meeting with him, but I need to now where he stands before asking him questions like 'How did the Order get a book from a Death Eater?'' Sal scratched his head as he finished packing his bag. 'I believe that I will be talking to Mr. Malfoy soon.'

-Headquarters-

Ginny was beyond excited. Sal would be here in a little over an hour. Christmas Eve had always been special in the Weasley household, and his presence would only make her happy. 'Of course,' she thought, 'everyone else is on pins and needles.' She was nervous about telling him the information she had received earlier, but he deserved to know. 'Hopefully, after a good meal and a relaxing evening, he will be in a better mood to take the news -especially after I give him his present.' Ginny had actually found Sal's gift before she had left Hogwarts. Sal had always been interested in her Ancient Runes homework, and he had enthusiastically read all her textbooks. She had actually found a great book that contained a few unsolved rune languages that he would love to work though. 'Maybe they're even common in his time.' The thought caused Ginny to pause- another reminder of what she would have to tell him later that night. 'Hopefully the book and the new shirt I also bought will soften the blow.' Ginny's head turned as she head the characteristic ping of a port key activating. 'Or not.'

She could barely contain herself as she forced herself to walk casually into the front room. As she rounded the corner she could see Sal letting her Mum lead him to his room for the next two days. He slowed her pace as she listened.

"And you'll be here on the second floor." Molly swung the door open and followed Sal into the room. "I know you'll probably spend a lot of time here relaxing, but we will have dinner tonight at 6:00 with several other Order members. You are welcome to join us."

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley." Sal placed his bag on the bed before noticing Molly had not left the room. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Molly hesitated before shaking her head. "No, I'll see you at dinner."

"Of course," Sal turned to unpack his bags as Molly left. After making sure her mother had turned the corner going down the stairs, Ginny slid into Sal's room pushing the door shut as she entered the room.

"I am so glad you came," she gushed as she flopped down on the bed. "I've been going insane trying to pass the time before you showed up."

Sal smiled as he tossed his bag into a corner. "I'm glad I'm here to. I'll be gone tomorrow, but I wanted to spend Christmas Eve with someone I care about… when will that lovely French witch your brother is dating be here?" Sal smirked as Ginny threw a pillow at his head.

"I do have something I need to tell you," Ginny twirled her hair as she bit her lip in apprehension. "I know you won't like it, but we promised each other we'd never keep secrets."

"What is it?" Sal moved to sit beside her. 'What on earth could it be?' he thought. Thought ranging from the impossibility of Ginny's parents knowing about their relationship to the possibility of her breaking up with him raced though his mind.

"Mum and Dumbledore told us something about you a few nights ago that I need to tell you…"

"Wait, if this is what I think it is, Dumbledore has already told me."

"You know about the spells?" Ginny asked relieved she wouldn't have to break the news to him.

"Yes, I'm working through it." Sal pushed his hair away from his face as he lay down. "I'm not thinking about it too much; it hurts." Ginny silently traced patterns on Sal's palm as he gathered his thoughts. "It makes so much sense. I can see why they did it, but I am so angry, not at anyone specifically, but at the world."

"Now you sound like an angsty teenager." Ginny smiled as he joked to lighten the mood.

Sal smiled again as he pushed himself up onto his elbows. "True, before you know it, I'll be prancing about the castle announcing 'it's not fair' to anyone who will listen."

"You have a right to; it's not fair."

"Whoever said the world is fair? I'm still in a state a shock really; I think the next few weeks will tell how much this is affecting me. Part of me still can't believe that it's true. I have all these memories, and emotions for people I have never met. I was just thinking of my father last week, and how I would love to hear some of his advice again. It hit me hard when I realized I would never see him or any of my friends again. It's just like when my mother and sister died- I didn't get to say good-bye. I don't know when I'll get over this."

"Well, I'm here to help you get through it. Between the two of us, I think we can defeat the evil wizard, punch-out a couple of bad guys, and get that happy ending."

Sal eyes grew dim at the mention of a happy ending, 'I just don't see that happening for us," he thought as he pulled Ginny in for a kiss, 'but we'll keep trying.'

-Dinner-

Several order members sat around the dinner table that night, and all were surprised when Salazar joined them. After a quick visit to Ron and Harry where he bluntly announced he knew he wasn't the original Salazar Slytherin, the amused Slytherin led the befuddled boys to the dining room where he sat between Harry and Ginny before gracing the group with a raised eyebrow, "Well, shall anyone begrudge me the indulgence of enjoying the first Christmas of my existence?" Shocked looks and whispers flew as Molly quickly ran to get the rest of dinner on the table.

Sal found the evening astoundingly amusing, 'If I'd have known eating dinner with these people would be this fun, I'd have stuck around after order meetings.' There were of course, members who didn't look him in the eye (Molly), and those who stared openly (Ron). By dessert, Ron couldn't keep quiet anymore.

"You cannot just drop a bombshell on us like that and be so calm about it!" Ron skewered his apple pie with his fork in frustration. "How can you be so calm?"

"Actually, I believe that Dumbledore dropped that bombshell on you."

"You know what I mean," Ron rolled his eyes; "I know that I'd be freakin' out!"

"I am, fortunately, not you." Sal looked around the table. "I know that I did not have what you would call a "traditional" birth," Fred and George snickered. "But, I still have a very strong sense of self, and I am processing the information."

"Only a Slytherin could accept his bizarre fate with a smile and a sarcastic remark." Ron hid a smile in his hand as Harry snickered.

"Well, I still have my secrets." Sal gave several order members pointed looks before looking at Dumbledore, who was sitting at the head of the table. "One of which is what kinds of grades you all made on your potions exams."

With that proclamation, the room erupted with a chorus of "tell me!" and "did you grade this or Snape?" The atmosphere in the room, while still slightly tense, eased up as Sal finished his pie while Harry and Ron argued with Fred about the legitimacy of grades. He felt more relaxed that he had since he had discovered his true origins, but a shadow flashed across his eyes every time he looked at Ginny. 'Is it fair that I am keeping her when I know this will only end in tears?' Ginny flipped her fair as she snuck a bite of ice-cream from her brother's plate; she caught Sal's gaze and winked before sneaking in for another bite. 'No,' he thought to himself, 'but since when is life fair?'

-That night-

"So, what'd you get me?!" Ginny grinned as she and Sal exchanged gifts in her small room in Grimmauld. "No, open yours first."

Sal smiled as he un-wrapped his book and shirt. "Thank you, you know I love to read this stuff." He opened the book to scan the table of contents. "I'll be sequestered in my room for days reading this."

"You're welcome." Ginny quickly ripped the paper from the box Sal had given her; she gasped as she pulled a velvet box from the paper. With a final look at her boyfriend, she opened the box. "You really shouldn't have!" she exclaimed as she leaned forward to hug Sal. Sal knew she would love it. Inside the box was a small diadem made of white gold and emeralds; Ravenclaw's diadem had inspired him. "I don't have anything like this!"

"Good," answered Sal, "a crown for my queen."

"I'm no queen."

"Who else gets diadems for Christmas?" Ginny smiled again before tackling her best friend.

Else were in order headquarters, Ron and Harry were still awake. "I think he's taking this all very well," commented Ron.

"Yes, maybe too well."

"What do you mean?"

"All I know is that I'd be angry if I'd found out I'd been lied to all year."

"Well, been there done that," answered Ron in an obvious reference to Harry's destruction of Dumbledore's office last year.

"Yeah," said Harry sheepishly.

"You can't use your own reactions to gauge how other people react; it's called transference. Slytherin is one odd bloke, and I don't think how we feel about it is how he feels about it."

There was a beat of silence, "Did Hermione tell you that?"

There was another beat of silence, "Yeah, word from word from her letter. She'll be here tomorrow. She convinced her parents to let her spend Christmas day with me!"

"You?"

"Oh, well, I mean all of us." Harry swore he could see his friend turn bright red even in the darkness.

"Of course Ron." Harry couldn't help but grin as he rolled over to fall asleep.

-Malfoy Manor-

Christmas used to be his favorite time of year. He always got lots of presents, his mother walked around all day with a huge smile on her face, and even Lucius got happy one day a year. Now, he hated Christmas. His father was gone; his insane aunt followed his mother around all day making sure she knew that Lucius wasn't going to come home. His mother was beside herself with grief; he had found her earlier wrapped in one of Lucius' robes looking at old photographs. He had gotten many presents from friends and family, but the best gift of all came in the form of a letter a few days before Christmas. Draco had been sitting in his study brooding when the sound of an owl tapping on the window made him look up. After retrieving the letter, Draco felt a smile on his face for the first time in months.

_Mr. Draco Malfoy,_

_I believe we have a few issues to discuss. Meet me at 143 Mark's Way lane in London on Dec. 26__th__ at 7:00 p.m. Come alone, and we will discuss my possession of certain book from your family's private library._

_S.S_

Draco didn't know why Salazar Slytherin wanted a meeting, but if it was going to get him out of this situation, he was all for it. He needed his aunt out of his house, and he wanted his mother to smile again. Now, he just needed to make a few plans as he pulled out his own letterhead:

_My Lord, _

He wrote with only a hint of guilt.

_**A/N**_: I know, I know. Berate me later. I'm sorry this took so long. I have no excuses. (This is still Firelight Tales, I changed my penname). Review? Please? Thank you so much for the individual reviews, I love it! Keep giving me ideas and suggestions! What will happen at the meeting? Is Sal really foolish enough to walk into a trap?


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